


Age Regression was Impossible... Right?

by chvotic



Series: A Son Needs his Father, and a Father Needs his Son [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Age Regression/De-Aging, Airplanes, Angst, Baby Peter Parker, Bodily Fluids, Clint Barton Has Issues, Crying, Cute, Day At The Beach, De-Aged Peter Parker, Diapers, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Father-Son Relationship, Fear of Flying, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Guilt, Hurt/Comfort, Kid Peter Parker, Medical Inaccuracies, Nightmares, No Infinity War, POV Tony Stark, Pacifiers, Panic, Parent Tony Stark, Peter Parker Needs a Hug, Poor Peter Parker, Post-Spider-Man: Homecoming, Precious Peter Parker, Separation Anxiety, Sick Character, Slight Civil War Angst, Sort Of, Stuffed Toys, Swearing, Temper Tantrums, Toddlers, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is Good With Kids, Vomiting, Wetting, eventually, not team Cap friendly, smh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-27
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2019-09-01 06:15:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 26
Words: 113,121
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16759561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chvotic/pseuds/chvotic
Summary: He didn't see anything at first, getting ready to turn around and examine the area behind him when he saw it.Tony had done a double take when he saw it, wait, not it, a child. There was a child sitting in the far end of the alleyway, his small frame visible in the shadows. He couldn't be more than two years old, the small body curled up on it's side in Tony's direction.Or, in which, Peter is de-aged and Tony bares the responsibility of looking after him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> this has just been sitting around in my unfinished works under the title 'poor petey gets de-aged: take two' for like three months so i thought... why not post it?
> 
> hopefully it's alright, i went through and edited this chapter and added some things so i could post. but, i have written seven chapters so far, so hopefully i'll be able to write the rest and be able to finish a story for once?
> 
> hope you enjoy.... :)

When Tony had gotten a distress call from Peter's suit, he had been running out of his lab before FRIDAY could even finish her sentence. He was already calling the suit, ignoring the questions from Rhodey as he shot through the living room and out onto the balcony. His suit was already connecting to him, Tony using his jets to rocket out of the Compound while speaking to his AI all at the same time.

"FRIDAY, track Peter's suit and call him." Tony snapped, waiting impatiently as he shot off in the direction of Queens.

A few seconds later, a map popped up in front of his eyes on the display, showing directions of where Peter was located. Tony instantly began to follow the line, shooting over the trees as FRIDAY tried calling Karen. Karen answered, of course, but refused to put Peter on the line, or more so, Peter refused to be put on the line. Tony was rather appalled that an AI he had created was disobeying him, but he knew that was Peter's doing. Of course that kid would corrupt his mentor's suit. He would have a few words to say about that when he gets to Peter's location, once he found out he was okay. He had to be okay, right?

With an annoyed sigh, he put all the power into his jets as he got closer and closer to Queens. The pulsing red dot that was Peter Parker was getting closer and closer, the possibilities of what was wrong with the kid circulating through his mind like wildfire. Had he been hurt? Had he been shot? Was he sick? Had someone figured out his identity? Whatever annoyance that had been there was gone within seconds, and all that was left was concern. The dot hadn't moved from it's spot, indicating that the kid hadn't moved an inch.

He was left with worry as he got closer and closer to the dot, which still hadn't moved. Was Peter dead?

"Karen, is Peter dead?" Tony voiced his thoughts, dread filling his stomach at the same time.

"No, Boss." Relief flooded his system instantly. "I see no sign of injury, all his vitals seem to be normal. Though I recommend you hurry, I'm not sure if you will want to hear this through me and not Peter himself. He is being very persistent in not putting you through, and even I am no longer sure of what is going on. This is not in my programming, so I am unsure how to deal with this situation."

Karen's ominous words just made the dread flood back into his system, replacing the relief that had just appeared there to fizzle away instantly. No, Peter wasn't dead, but Karen was implying that he could be injured and something terrible had just happened, and Jesus, Karen didn't even know what was wrong with him. God, his Aunt would murder Tony if he was injured. God, he would kill himself if Peter was as badly injured as Karen was implying him to be.

Finally, after another ten minutes of rocketing through the air at alarming speeds, he was finally close to the blinking red dot. He was brought to a shady looking alleyway, the dread becoming ice cold as he continued to land on the concrete heavily. He didn't leave his suit, looking around for Peter as well as possible threats. He didn't see anything at first, getting ready to turn around and examine the area behind him when he saw it.

Tony had done a double take when he saw it, wait, not it, a child. There was a child sitting in the far end of the alleyway, his small frame visible in the shadows. He couldn't be more than two years old, the small body curled up on it's side in Tony's direction. He couldn't really see the kid's face from where he was, so instead Tony looked to the red, blinking dot. The red dot was blinking just a few feat in front of him, which couldn't be possible since there was no sign of Spider-Man or Peter Parker. Had whoever had hurt him ditched the suit somehow?

No. Karen would have told him if something like that had happened.

Forcing his worries away for the moment, he edged closer to the child as least intimidating as he could be. He didn't take the suit off just yet, knowing there could be a threat just around the corner, knowing his luck. Knowing Tony's amazing luck with situations, someone could have set this up and Peter was long gone.

Instead of letting the panic consume him too quickly, Tony surveyed the child through his helmet as he got closer. From the light of the arc reactor in his suit, along with the repulsers and the closer proximity to the child, he could see what they were wearing. Tony almost choked on his tongue when he noticed the kid was in fact wearing a Spider-Man suit, mask off and big eyes staring up at him. It was a little boy. The suit also suspiciously looked like a smaller version of the one Tony had created, his eyes becoming wide as everything began to click in his head. There was no way that was Peter, it couldn't be Peter. That wasn't, in any way, possible. Age regression was not a thing. Last time he checked, age did not go backwards.

Also, the last time Tony checked, Peter Parker was a fifteen-year-old teenager. Not a toddler.

He scanned the area for people, and the possible threats that had been looming in his mind for some time, and found none. So instead of hesitating any longer, he let his suit fall away from him so he could get out and take an even closer look at the small being in front of him. He let FRIDAY take over the suit, whispering for her to guard the entrance of the alleyway as he slowly stepped in the direction of the child, arms raised so he got the message across that he meant no harm. Did kids even know what that meant?

Tony had no idea what he was doing, he wasn't good with kids and never had been. But there was some bizarre possibility that this kid was his Peter, and he had to check it out. Either way, he couldn't just leave a kid in a dirty alleyway, even if it wasn't Peter. Even if he never liked, or wanted, kids, he didn't have the heart to just leave something so innocent alone and scared. He could take him to a foster home or something. 

Though as he got even closer, he began to see the resemblance. Brown hair, brown eyes, the suit. There was no way that was Peter. How could that be Peter? How was that even possible?

"What the hell-" Tony shook his head, blinking rapidly as if that would cause the image in front of him to disappear and indicate that he was actually going crazy this time. "Peter? Please don't tell me that's you."

The boy just looked up at him with wide, teary eyes, before nodding rapidly. "Tony?"

Tony gawked. Even if the child had a childish voice to suit his age, it sounded like Peter. Not only that, but the kid knew his name, so it had to be him. This had to be Peter. But how?

Well, a lot of kids knew his name. He knew he was an idol to a lot of kids, which he really didn't think he liked very much, and he knew Peter had been one of them. Or was still one of them. He had no idea.

"Peter." Tony tested, waiting for the kid's response. There was a slight nod, those fearful eyes staring up at him as he laid sideways on the ground.

Before Tony could get another word in, Peter was talking. "Awien t'ch.. t'ch... t'ch." Tony frowned at the kid's pronunciation, Peter's face morphing into terror as he looked up at Tony. It seemed like Peter knew exactly what was happening. "Gun!"

"Alien technology?" Tony asked, eyes widening slightly when Peter nodded. Instantly, he was surveying the child's body for any gunshot wounds, or any sign of injury. He shuffled closer, kneeling down so he could at least try to be at Peter's level, who still hadn't come out of his fetal position. This action seemed to cause Peter to burst into sobs, reaching up for Tony with one small arm, his fingers making desperate grabbing movement. Tony was shocked for a few seconds, having no idea what to do or how to react. He had never even been near a child before, aside from Harley. But Harley wasn't this young.

Harley wasn't a well developed teenager smushed into a toddler's body, either, so everything about the situation was different.

All of this went through his head at once, the hesitation to pick up the kid he had been mentoring since his and Roger's falling out as his grabbing movements became more and more persistent. After another few seconds of hesitating and looking into Parker's dejected, far too young face, he finally reached forwards to lift the kid up.

As soon as Tony was holding him, Peter was gravitating towards him like an octopus. His arms wrapped around his neck, his legs around his waist, his shaky sobs now close to Tony's ears as the kid shook like a leaf in his arms. Before Tony could think about reacting further, Peter was once again speaking in that way too childish voice.

"Don' wanna be w-w-w-" Peter huffed, large tears streaking down his face as he tried to force the word out. "W-wike this."

Tony didn't really know how to answer to that, so instead of panicking like he really, really wanted to do, he plastered his best smile on his face. Since Peter wasn't really a toddler, he could talk to him normally. None of this baby-talk bullshit.

Hopefully.

He was not ready for this.

"Let's get you to the Compound." Tony said to him, forcing his voice to be softer than normal, just in case. The kid was in a fragile state as it is, and he didn't need to have Tony making matters worse.

Peter nodded to Tony's words, but he seemed to begin to sob even harder. Tony had heard kids cry before, obviously, but he would have never expected to have it happening so close to him.

Tony was slightly horrified. He stood there, holding the crying baby-version of Peter Parker in his arms as he sent a text to Happy to pick them up. He didn't send his suit back to the Compound just yet, the thing standing protectively at the entrance of the alleyway. No one seemed to be around, so Tony was in luck that Peter had been patrolling in a deserted part of Queens. Hopefully, it would stay that way.

Remembering what his mother had used to do to him when he'd have a meltdown smacked him right in the face as he waited for Happy to arrive, along with the grief that always came tied to memories of her. Instead of letting Peter sob so hard he could make himself sick, he bounced his now tiny body slightly, having completely no idea what he was doing but doing it anyways. He still seemed to have his teenage mind in there, and his suit had shrunk with him, and everything was just now a shit storm. Surely it couldn't be helpful having a teenage mind crammed into a toddler's head. How could that be healthy?

What aliens had time to make weapons like that?

It took around half an hour of calming Peter down, whispering things, reassuring that he would figure everything out before Happy arrived. Tony definitely would have payed billions to see that expression on Happy's face again, mentally saving the image of Happy's expression away in his memories. "What the hell happened?" Peter had quietened down by that point, the kid just staring straight ahead as Happy stared at them in horror. "Is that.. is that Peter? No, how could it be Peter. He was an annoying, moody teenager the last I saw him."

"You got it. It's Peter." Tony said, sliding into the car with the kid secured safely in his arms. "He says some alien technology was used on him. I don't doubt him in the slightest, we've had issues with that before. As you already know..."

"So to the Compound, then?"

"Yep."

Peter was sitting up in his lap, staring right at Tony with a doe-eyed gaze as the car pulled away from the sidewalk. Tony smiled as best he could at the kid, raising a hand to push his curly hair back. He hadn't known where that action had come from, or why he was doing it, but it felt strangely familiar. So instead of reeling away like he usually would have, he kept that smile plastered his face and spoke to Peter instead. "How do you manage to get in situations like this, kid?"

Peter looked like he wanted to reply, but instead remained in silence. His tears had stopped momentarily, Tony watching and trying to read his facial expressions as the boy turned away to look out the window instead. He could see the tear streaks on his cheeks as the light passed over them, his heart filling with something he couldn't figure out as he wished to wipe them away. He watched as Peter's now small hand rose slowly to his mouth, his suit-clad thumb slowly making it's way passed his lips as if it were second nature. Tony had to force himself not to laugh at the sight in front of him. He wished he had a camera.

But he also knew that it wasn't sanitary.

Before Tony could mention it, Peter seemed to notice exactly what he was doing. Tony watched as the kid looked at his hands like he had never seen something so fascinating before. He seemed to be in that state until they arrived at the Compound, his eyes moving back to Tony's face as he realised where they were. Tony was slightly shocked when Peter clung onto him even tighter, burying his head in his shoulder as he awkwardly shuffled out of the car. Tony shared a look with Happy before making his way to the lift.

"No..nono." Peter was whispering, his hold tightening around Tony's neck. "Don' wanna.. don' wanna.."

"It's okay Pete." Tony bounced the kid slightly, not really knowing what to do or what to say to him. Even if Teen Peter was in there and was most likely talking to him right now, he still had no idea how to look after a child. In that moment, he really wished Howard would have treated him better than he did.

"Wha' abou' Aun' May?" Peter whispered, his mouth right next to Tony's ear. "Wha' abou' Ned?"

"We'll figure out a way to tell them what's happened. But don't worry about that, I'll figure out a way to get you back to your normal self before we need to tell her anything." Tony tried to reassure, cringing when he realised he was doing a terrible, terrible job. Happy glanced at him, eyebrows raised. Tony ignored him. "Fri, is Rhodey here?"

"Yes, Boss. Colonel Rhodes is currently on your personal floor. Would you like me to alert him of your arrival?" FRIDAY's voice replied, a slight undertone of worry in her computerised voice. Tony wondered if even his AI knew what was going on with Peter, but he ignored that thought as they made their way up to the top floor. Which was, of course, Tony's floor.

"No, don't worry about it. But please let Helen know that we're in need of her assistance."

"Right away, Boss."

Tony sighed, sharing another look with Happy as Peter once again began to cry. Though, he was only crying softly, his warm tears falling against Tony's neck as the kid's body quivered. They continued the far too long lift ride to his private floor, having FRIDAY ignore any people needing the lift as they made their way up. It felt like an entire decade passed by until the lift finally dinged and the doors opened, Peter immediately tensing and pushing closer to him as they made their way into the floor.

The two of them said nothing as they made their way into the small medical he had installed on his floor for incidences quite like this (well, not really), passing Rhodey who looked as if his eyes were about to fall out of his head. Tony was thanking all the God's that he didn't believe in that Pepper was out in DC, away from him and away from Peter for now. If Pepper had seen him with a kid, she would go completely nuts and lose her shit, ending in a fight and probably scare Peter to death.

So, thank God she wasn't here.

It was stressful enough with the look Rhodey was giving him, his eyes demanding an explanation as he followed them into the small room. Helen had not arrived yet, giving that Tony had the lift take them directly up to his floor without stopping for anyone. He couldn't let people see Peter like this, and he couldn't risk the kid having a panic attack. Tony knew Teen Peter was prone to them, and giving that Little Peter was still shaking like a leaf as if he were trying to hold everything in, so was he.

He couldn't take much more crying, and it had hardly been an hour. He was quickly losing patience, but he kept himself calm for the benefit of Peter's mental stability.

He sat down, not even trying to put Peter on the bed just yet. He could feel how tight the kid was holding onto him, almost as if he were actually using his super strength.

Tony couldn't believe what was going on right now. This had to be some fucked up nightmare, right? 

The kid he had been mentoring, Spider-Man, Peter Parker, had been reverted back to a toddler from some whack alien technology. Tony didn't think his life could have gotten any stranger, until now. God, what was he going to do with him? What if they couldn't change him back? How would Tony tell Peter's Aunt May and his best friend that he was currently a toddler?

It was all just so bizarre. Things like this weren't meant to happen in real life.

Sighing, and becoming more impatient, Tony looked up to the ceiling. "Fri, where is Helen right now?"

"Helen Cho is currently stuck waiting for the lift, sir. She is coming as fast as she can."

"Okay, thanks." Tony mumbled, tensing when Peter began to shift in his arms. His second round of tears seemed to have halted, his now too young and too small face peering out from Tony's shoulder. Tony felt his heart clench once again at the wetness of Peter's cheeks, his huge and all-knowing eyes resting on him before moving around the room. One arm was still around Tony's neck, the other positioned just above where the arc reactor used to be, while his legs were still wrapped around Tony's waist as if he had done so many times before.

Tony found himself wondering if Peter's teen mind was mixing in with the one he should have as a toddler, if he felt the same instincts as a toddler would. Maybe he would be able to ask Peter that himself once everything has calmed down, or when they get him back to his actual age. The underlying panic that they might not be able to change him back came looming up to the front of his mind, worry adding onto the chaos in his mind as he tried to remain calm.

Happy was leant up against the wall, also watching Peter, confusion and the slightest tad of worry clear on his features. Tony knew Happy would never admit it, but he cared about the kid.

Peter said nothing, meeting Tony's eyes for a few seconds before resting his head on his shoulder in the same place. At least the waterworks had stopped for now, right?

God, Tony was nowhere near ready for this, and he knew for a fact that Peter's tears were nowhere near over.

Though, thankfully, he had Rhodey to break the tense silence. "Tony, what the hell is going on?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updates from now might be a little slower because i'm currently editing and changing things in later chapters so i can continue writing the rest. sorry about that, but i'm trying to make this the best i can 
> 
> hopefully this chap isn't too dry, i wrote it a while ago :/
> 
> enjoy

Tony hadn't answered Rhodey's question just yet. He didn't know how to, really, and he found himself not really wanting to answer.

When Helen had entered the room, Peter had become tense once again and Tony was terrified the kid would burst into tears for a second time. But instead, the kid lifted his head and watched Helen's every move. The woman's eyes widened the size of saucers when she saw the situation in front of her, Tony inwardly cringing as she moved over to them.

"Who is this, Tony?" She asked, kneeling down in front of Peter who was still watching her with wide eyes. "Hello there, I'm Helen. What's your name?"

Peter had actually never met Helen before, which was rather strange. She was around the Compound a lot of the time, though Peter was never on the floors she were on. Tony knew this might not be the first impression Peter wanted to give to people. 

Peter didn't answer, turning his head away and back into Tony's shoulder upon being addressed. Tony frowned, hating the fact that this was happening and Peter was scared. He half-wished that Peter didn't remember anything, and that he had the actual brain of a toddler. If his actual mind wasn't there, he wouldn't be so scared and worrying about if he would get changed back into his normal self again or not. But then, if he had the mind of a toddler, things might have been a lot more confronting. "Shy, I see. Tony, who is this?"

"This is Peter." Tony murmured, eyeing her for a few seconds. "It's a little.. hard to explain."

"Is he yours?" She asked, eyes still wide. Tony gawked for a second, Peter peeking up from his arms.

"No, he's not." Tony replied, chewing his lip slightly. "He's actually a teenager, but an alien- you know what, I'll talk to you about this later. I want you to check him over, figure out how old he is. Please." 

Peter fisted Tony's shirt in his tiny hand, Tony taking a few moments to look at him. His eyes were red and puffy, drying tears on his cheeks as he watched Helen with somewhat fascinated eyes. There was such a childish look about them now that made Tony worried slightly, hoping that Peter's brain wouldn't be too affected by this when they get him back. If Peter had brain damage from this, Tony would have no idea what to do, and he would definitely have no idea how to tell his Aunt and best friend.

"Sure, of course." She replied, before standing back up with a soft smile on her face. Despite the confusion lingering in her expression, she continued to speak as if Tony had never said the toddler in front of her was actually a teenager. That, or she didn't believe him. "It would be better if you could place him on the bed, it's a little hard to examine him when he's in your lap."

Tony just nodded, Peter barely reacting when he stood up, getting ready to deposit him onto the bed. He almost expected the kid to start screaming when Tony placed him down, but all he did was watch Tony retreat and sit back down in his chair. His eyes were slightly wide when he noticed how much smaller Peter looked when he was alone in the middle of the bed, his small legs outstretched in front of him as he stuck a finger in his mouth. He was slouching slightly, his suit looking incredibly tiny on his body. How had this happened?

Helen approached the kid, gently reaching out to hold his face. Peter flinched, eyes flicking to Tony in desperation at the woman's touch. "Hey, it's alright, honey. I'm just checking your teeth, okay?"

His eyes flickered back to Helen, the mild panic never leaving his eyes as the woman gently pried his mouth open, pulling his hand away by his wrist very softly. She looked around his teeth for a few seconds, before pulling away and letting his mouth fall shut. "I'd say he's around twenty to twenty-four months old, I think." 

Twenty-four months old. "How old is that in years?"

"Two."

Two. Peter had gone from a fifteen-year-old teen to a two-year-old baby. He couldn't believe it. How was this possible? In his head, he probably would have put Peter in the same category as an infant. Kids were just so small, and breakable, and he wasn't sure if he really wanted to know how long it would take for Peter to return to normal.

His thoughts were cut off by Helen's voice once again.

"You may want to order some things for him, Tony. I can hardly believe that the... costume is comfortable for him."

"It's his suit, actually." Tony quipped without even realising, trying to push away the newfound information about his mentee's age. "Anyways, would you be able to take some blood? I'd like to test it, see if I can make anything to get him back to normal."

After that sentence, there was a hard jab in his shoulder. Tony almost fell out of his chair from fright, glaring at the person who had left an ache in his shoulder. Rhodey was glaring down at him, accusation clear on his face as he began to speak. "When are you going to tell me what's actually going on? That can't really be Peter." Right, Tony had ignored his question.

"That's Peter, Honey Bear." Tony grumbled, rubbing his shoulder while looking away from his best friend. "I know how bizarre it sounds, but it happened, and now we gotta stick with it until I can figure out a way to get him back to normal."

"How?" Rhodey spluttered, his arms flailing in the corner of his eye. Helen was preparing Peter's blood test in the far corner of the room, the said kid staring over at Tony with a helpless look in his eye. The knowing look had returned, and that's how Tony knew that Teen Peter was looking at him right now, not Little Peter. And by the looks of it, Teen Peter was terrified. "How could Parker have gone back to a toddler?"

"Jesus, Rhodey, I don't know. Only he does, but we don't need to know that right now. Stop yelling, you're scaring him." Tony snapped, frowning when Peter began reaching for him. Why did the kid want to come to him? He was a literal walking disaster. He destroyed everything he touched, and he didn't want that to be Peter in his even more vulnerable state than usual. Along with that, it looked like Peter was nearing another emotional breakdown and Tony wasn't ready for that. He didn't know if he could handle another bout of tears. "Peter, what's wrong?"

Tony had a fleeting suspicion that if he didn't pick Peter up now, the kid would launch himself off of the bed instead. He was sending worried glances to Helen, who held the needle in a visible place, the panic seeming to increase when Peter caught sight of the needle. Was Peter scared of needles? Of course he was scared of fucking needles. 

With an internal sigh, Tony pulled himself out of the chair for a second time. He ignored the way his knees cracked, reaching over to hoist Peter up by the armpits. Peter latched onto him instantly, Tony slumping back down into his seat with a groan forcing it's way out. He met eyes with Rhodey very briefly, the shock on his face almost priceless. Oh, how he wished he could have framed both Happy's and Rhodey's reactions and have them strung up around his lab for when he had his bad days, just so he could laugh at them on a daily basis.

But that was the last thought on his mind now as Helen turned back around, everything ready for Peter's blood test. "Would you be able to get the.. suit off him so I can take his blood?"

"Yeah, sure." Tony mumbled, gently prying Peter away. He whined, though didn't fight Tony as he turned him around so that his back was resting against his chest, his head just under Tony's chin. "Just gotta take your suit off at the top, yeah, Petey?"

"Don' wanna." Peter mumbled, the fear in his tone evident. "Don' wike needles."

Tony cringed. "It'll be over before you know it. I bet it won't even hurt."

"Yeah it will." Peter grumbled back, sounding exactly like Teen Peter. The fear was still there, but the almost-snarky comment was just as normal as the one he would get back from the older Peter Parker. "Don' wanna."

"You'll be fine." Tony pressed the spider chest piece, the much smaller suit sagging around Peter's tiny body instantly. That was another issue. What was he going to do about the suit? "If you want to be a angsty teenager again you'll have to have this blood test. Sorry."

"M'kay." Peter seemed to give up, letting Tony pull his arms out of the suit's sleeves. Soon, everything until half-way down his stomach was on show, and Tony began to wonder if Peter was going to be cold. He gently laid the kid's arm out so his inner elbow was on accessible, Helen approaching slowly with her equipment in hand. Tony had noticed Peter had shoved the thumb on his other hand in his mouth, pressing back against Tony slightly as Helen neared him with the needle completely visible.

She began with wrapping the strap around his bicep. Peter had flinched away from her touch, though didn't fight it nor did he cry when she began wiping the area down with a small dab of alcohol. It was when the needle was going into his skin when Peter began to softly cry, Tony's heart clenching painfully as he watched Helen draw the blood out. He shared another glance with Rhodey, who now looked rather sympathetic as the childish cries echoed around the room. He wasn't wailing to the point of annoying, it was more the heart-breaking kind of cry that Tony found himself hating even more.

God, Peter was literally a kid now. Sure, he was one before, but he was a literal toddler. A baby. It was clear that he hardly had any control over his emotions, choking on his cries as Helen pulled the needle out and taped a cotton bud over the spot. "All done. You were very brave."

Peter showed no signs of hearing her, moving so he was wrapping his arms around himself. That's when Tony noticed the tiny goosebumps spreading across Peter's skin, indicating that he was in fact cold. 

"Hey, Fri?"

"Yes, Boss?"

"Order everything relevant to a two-year-old. Make sure to get things that fit."

"Of course. Would you like me to let you know how long these items will take to arrive?"

"Yes, please."

He had to keep reminding himself that this wasn't any child. This was Peter Parker, a child who had super strength and did not own the mind of a toddler. Surely, he was more competent than actual two year olds. Hopefully.

Tony could see Peter's eyes noticeably drooping, his teary eyes staring up at him as his skin continued to be covered with goosebumps. He turned to Helen, who was now looking over at Tony and Peter with concerned, but fond, eyes. "Would you be able to get one of the t-shirts out of that cupboard?"

Helen nodded at him, moving over to the cupboard and opening the door. Tony watched impatiently as she grabbed a plain white t-shirt, which was more Tony's size than a kid's size. It did suit the location, since they were currently in his personal medical ward. It made sense that they only had shirts his size.

"Sorry, this is the only one I can find." She replied, closing the cupboard door before walking back over to Tony, handing him the shirt. "I'm sure it will fit until you get some more clothes for him."

Tony nodded in thanks before turning to Peter, who was watching with drooping and curious eyes. "How's about we get you out of this suit? It can't be that comfortable." Peter didn't answer, continuing to stare up at him with pleading eyes. Tony didn't say another word until he got a response, and Peter seemed to notice that he was awaiting an answer. All he did was nod, sniffling slightly as he began to suck on his thumb once again, all the while still looking up at Tony. "Alright. You gotta sit on the bed, though."

Peter nodded again, and Tony took that as his queue to lift Peter back onto the bed. Thank the lord that this kid was very, very light, or his back wouldn't be appreciating him for this later on. He got lucky. 

With another internal sigh, he moved forward to help Peter step out of his suit. He pulled him up so he was standing, his hands hovering for a while as he let Peter gain his footing on the mattress. Peter's cheeks were flushed red, and Tony had no idea if it was from all of the crying or the fact that he was being helped getting changed. He ignored the thought and helped Peter pull his feet out of the suit, Tony noting his lack of co-ordination. He supposed that came with toddlers, right? Peter had one hand braced on Tony's shoulder for balance, his eyes noticeably becoming more teary when the suit was completely off. Thank god he had decided to wear boxers underneath that suit, or the situation would be even more awkward.

Tony knew that was false, things were going to get a whole lot more awkward for them once the supplies arrived. But Peter knew how to use the toilet, so that shouldn't really be an issue. Right? 

Ignoring that thought once again, he then pulled the very over-sized t-shirt over Peter's head, letting the kid pull his arms through the sleeves. The shirt looked like a dress, or more so, a sack on Peter's tiny frame, the hem over his feet and resting on the bed. Tony thought it was.. cute.

Peter was so small. Vulnerable.

What if Tony ruined that?

He could ruin things for Teen Peter, too.

Ignoring all of the annoying thoughts running through his mind and picked Peter up once again, the kid's eyes never leaving his until he was fully in Tony's arms. "Are you tired? Do you want to sleep or eat?"

Peter looked back up at him, staring for a few seconds with drooping eyes. Tony supposed that Peter was trying to process what he had said, his confused eyes falling away from Tony's as he pressed his face into his shoulder. Tony's heart clenched very painfully in his chest, aching to the point where he wondered if he was feeling something... paternal. Psh, yeah right. He had never wanted kids, he had always disliked them. But now that Parker was here, all small, cute, innocent, he didn't know what he was thinking or feeling anymore.

"Sleep." Peter finally mumbled, Tony sharing a few glances with Rhodey and Happy. Rhodey still looked horrified, but Tony ignored that particular look on his face as he began to move. Within seconds, he was out of the room and carrying Peter throughout the floor, reaching the kid's room within minutes. Peter was silent, only sniffing every once in a while as they made their journey to Peter's room at the tower.

Tony removed one arm to open the door, leaving it ajar as he carried Peter over to his bed. He pulled the covers back before gently laying the kid down onto the bed. Tony paused for a few seconds, watching Peter as his small hands fisted the sheets. He then pulled the covers up to the kid's chin, once again running a hand through his hair without even realising he was doing it. He was sat beside the kid now, his large brown and tired eyes staring up at Tony as he continued running his hand through his hair.

"I have no idea what I'm doing, y'know." Tony whispered, laughing slightly after his statement. "It's not everyday that Spider-Man gets regressed into a toddler, is it? Stuff like this always happens to you, doesn't it?"

Tony felt accomplished when he managed to get a small smile from Peter.

Soon, Peter's eyes were closing and his head was moving to the side, signalling that he had in fact fallen asleep. Tony sat there for a few minutes, watching the kid, wondering what an earth he was going to do with him. If he couldn't tell May, he would have to look after Peter himself. Though, if they could figure out a solution to get Peter back to a teenager, they wouldn't even have to worry about it.

He spent some more time looking at the toddler's face, never having seen Peter look so calm. Even in his sleep, sometimes Peter looked like he were struggling. He knew that the kid was having nightmares, but he never pried. It wasn't his place.

He was jumped out of his train of thought when FRIDAY's voice filled his ears, making him almost fall off of the bed in fright. He winced, waiting for Peter to wake up and start screaming. Though, the kid did nothing but stir a little, his face frowning for a few seconds before returning to calm. He breathed a sigh of relief, now deciding to tune his AI in. "What was that, Fri?"

"I said that the supplies for young Peter will have arrived by eight-thirty in the morning." FRIDAY repeated, her voice quiet as if even she knew that Peter was trying to sleep. 

"Thanks." Tony sighed, finally pulling himself off of the bed. "How's about we find a solution to this mess?"

"Yes, of course." FRIDAY replied, Tony taking one last look at Peter before turning around.

"Alert me if he wakes up." Tony ordered as he closed the door quietly, before continuing to walk down the hallway in the direction of the lift. Before he knew it, he was inside his lab, the small vile of Peter's blood sample already on his desk. Tony had almost jumped out of his skin when he noticed Rhodey in the corner of the room, staring at him expectantly.

"Now can you tell me what's happened?" Rhodey asked, his tone hard. "I'm having a very hard time believing that kid in there is Parker. How is regression even possible, Tony? If this is really your kid and you're lying to me-"

Tony sighed, collapsing onto his desk chair with a groan. "I don't know, Rhodey. All I got from him that it was alien technology, nothing else. Don't fret about it, Honey Bear, we'll figure out a solution and he'll be back to our Peter Parker in no time."

"How do you know that?" Rhodey asked, his hands on his hips as he walked over to Tony, who was now fiddling with the blood sample. "How do you know you'll get him back to his actual age?"

"I will." Tony snapped, before talking to FRIDAY instead. "Alright, Fri, figure out how to change him back. Tell me when you have a result."

"Yes, Boss." His AI replied, and soon he was out of his chair again and leaving his lab. Rhodey was following him like a stray dog, rattling off in his ear about things he couldn't even be bothered listening to. So instead, he tuned him out, taking himself into the living room to just... calm down. 

"Rhodey, you're really not helping by screaming in my ear." Tony snapped, lounging back onto the couch with a sigh. He felt the need to drink, but he pushed all that away as Rhodey sat down beside him. "Really, as much as I love you, I don't know how to explain this or what to say to you. So please, lay off a bit."

When he met eyes with Rhodey, he instantly saw the regret in his eyes. Before he could even process what was going on, Rhodey was squeezing his shoulder reassuringly. "Sorry."

"Don't worry about it." Tony replied, staring into the blank TV screen. Or, more so, his reflection in the black abyss.

"Well, I'll always be here to help with this.. situation, no matter how weird it gets."

"Thanks, Rhodey."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback would be greatly appreciated :)
> 
> also... the avengers endgame trailer.... im gonna go die  
> i edit on instagram @wolvicious


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm posting this a lot earlier than i intended to, but since i had a spark of inspo for later chapters, i decided why not?
> 
> i know this story is moving kind of slow, and it will be for another two or more chapters before a little time jump. sorry if this is boring?
> 
> anyways, enjoy

Tony had been back down in his lab trying to help FRIDAY find a solution when she had alerted him that Peter had woken up in distress. He had gotten bored of sitting up in the living room doing nothing but wanting to drink his problems away, so instead to distract himself, he went down into the lab and busied himself with trying to figure out how to get Peter back to a teenager. He and FRIDAY hadn't figured anything out as of yet, and it had almost been five hours. Therefore, it was early hours in the morning and he found himself not even tired.

Well, he told himself that.

He felt like he was missing something. Like there was something else he was meant to be looking at that would help, but he had no idea what that was. So as usual, he ignored it.

He had been in the middle of speaking with FRIDAY when she suddenly interrupted him, causing him to almost drop the vile he had been inspecting. 

"Peter seems to be in severe distress, Boss." 

He stood up from his desk, leaving the vile on his workbench as he began to make his way out of the lab. "What's wrong?"

"I am unsure. Young Peter appears to be crying, though I am unsure of what has happened to make him this distressed. Would you like me to try and talk to him, sir?"

"Uh, yeah, sure." Tony answered, trying to get to the lift as quickly as he could. There were a few beats of silence before his AI's voice was filling his ears once again. 

"I am unable to understand what he is saying. Sorry, boss."

"Don't worry about it." Tony mumbled, finally stepping into the lift and letting FRIDAY direct him in the direction of his floor. He almost tripped over as he hurried in the direction of Peter's bedroom, chewing his lip when he couldn't hear the cries. No one else in the tower was awake, Happy and Rhodey being on their own floors and Pepper out of the state until who knows when. So really, now all he had was FRIDAY.

Finally, after what felt like a year, he made it to Peter's room. He had no idea what he was going to do, he had no idea how to look after a crying kid, but he was going to do it anyways, because when did Tony Stark think anything through? This was Peter, not a normal baby, so this was different. Right? He had been doing okay so far.

So, slowly and as gently as he could, he twisted the handle and pushed the door open. He squinted, trying to see into the darkness as the door opened, soon spotting the tiny figure sitting up in the bed, shivering. 

"Peter?" He asked, noting how the figure flinched and then continued to shake. He could hear the kid's panicked breathing, he could hear the hitches and the vague sobs, which soon told Tony that Peter was trying not to cry any louder. "What's up?"

"No." Was all he got as an answer, which just provoked him to move further into the room. "N-No."

Slowly, as if he were approaching a wounded animal, he moved to the side of Peter's bed and knelt down. He flicked on the lamp soon after, immediately met with Peter's squinting eyes. He cringed at the redness of them, tears staining his cheeks and snot pooling around his nose. Tony felt his heart clenching painfully, watching as Peter raised two fingers and placed the tips into his mouth. This was, yet again, when he realised he really had no clue how to look after such a small child. He had zero experience under his belt, and was a complete newbie.

Oh, how much he felt like having a drink and passing the problem on to someone else...

But this was Peter. Teen Peter was a fragile kid, and Tony sometimes found himself walking on egg shells ever since the ferry incident. He seemed to get on just fine with that tactic, and little Peter was just ten times more fragile and venerable, right?

"What's up, buddy?" Tony asked during his intense train of thought, hoping to God that his voice was calm. He knew he had failed when his voice wavered a little. He was so far out of his league. "What's the tears for?"

"No." Peter repeated, his eyebrows furrowing as if he were trying to hold back an emotional breakdown. Tony was almost certain that was exactly what the boy was trying to do, and he was unsure if he himself could handle it from the amount of sleep he was running on. Which was none. "I sowwy."

"Sorry? What're you sorry for?" Tony asked, feeling his own eyebrows furrowing in confusion, burrowing the impatience deep into his chest where he hoped it would never make an appearance. He had to put Peter first this time. He couldn't be selfish.

"Didn' mean to. Didn' know." Tony had no idea what on earth the kid was talking about. "Sowwy."

"I don't understand." Tony replied, hating the way the tears seemed to fall faster down Peter's cheeks. "What're you sorry for?"

Peter seemed to grow even more distressed than he had been just a few seconds ago, a hitched and childish sob leaving his mouth as his small hands fisted his cover. Before Tony could process what was going on, Peter was yanking back the sheets with another broken sob, and Tony realised exactly what had the kid so distressed. God, he was not prepared for any of this.

He took one look at the darkened patch around Peter's crotch area and the bedsheets around him to know what had happened. Tony looked back to Peter, who was sobbing, his cheeks flushed red as a waterfall of tears streaked down them. Tony was left panic-stricken for a few moments, unsure how to react to his once teenage mentee who was now a toddler, wetting the bed. He tried his very best not to feel the slightest bit disgusted, but he couldn't help it.

"I sowwy, I sowwy, I didn' know." Peter was saying between his sobs, Tony's chest physically hurting at the way he was hugging himself, as if he thought Tony was going to laugh at him. That was the moment Tony snapped out of it, finding himself reaching forwards to push the kid's hair out of his face. It was almost as if it were some strange reflex action.

"Don't apologise for this, this isn't your fault." Tony didn't know how to comfort people, let alone babies. "You didn't mean it. I hope."

"Sowwy." Peter said again, leaning into Tony's hand with another sob. 

"Why don't we uh, get you cleaned up then? You can wear one of your old shirts until the stuff we ordered gets here..." Tony trailed, running his hand through Peter's hair in a failed attempt to calm the kid down. "Please stop crying like that, I don't want you to make yourself sick. I also have no idea how to comfort you.. so.. please?"

"Sowwy." Peter repeated, Tony's insides crawling. Why did this kid feel the need to apologise for things that are out of his control? It was a habit that teen Peter had, too, and it often annoyed Tony. "Didn' mean it."

"I know you didn't. Stop saying sorry, this isn't your fault. Come on then, I'm sure sitting in that is uncomfortable." Tony pulled his hand away from Peter's forehead, not missing the way the kid leaned after him. He stood back up, reaching forwards to hoist Peter up from under the armpits. What he wasn't expecting was for Peter to push him away.

"No!" He cried out, the broken sound in his childish voice not making Tony feel any better about the situation in the slightest. "Dirty."

"Don't worry about me, I can change shirts." Tony replied, making another move to pick Peter up, ignoring his own discomfort. But once again, Peter grabbed his wrists with his small hands and pushed them back, and Tony was sure that the kid was using some of his super strength.

"No." His voice sounded so tiny, Tony hated it. "Dirty. Don' wanna make you dirty."

"Peter, I don't care if I get dirty or not. I can change." Tony repeated, letting his hands drop. "I mean it. I don't want you being uncomfortable, either."

Peter shook his head, not moving from his soiled part of the bed. Tony sighed.

"You won't get me dirty." Tony repeated, trying to make his voice as soothing as possible. Soothing wasn't apart of Tony's norm, and neither was picking up a pee-soaked toddler. "Please, Peter, just let me get you clean. If this were me, I'd want to get clean too."

Peter seemed to think about it, those two fingers making their way back to his mouth as his much smaller brain tried to comprehend what Tony was saying. Tony waited impatiently, despite what hour of the morning it was, hoping to make Peter as comfortable as possible as fast as possible. He couldn't imagine having been regressed into a toddler felt like, and he really didn't want to find out. Peter must feel helpless, and Tony would definitely hate to feel like that. So, he waited, his eyes not leaving Peter's teary face.

After a few minutes, Peter began to nod, Tony noticing that he was actually sucking on them. Maybe he would actually need a pacifier?

Tony couldn't imagine a world where Peter would like that.

He ignored that thought for the time being, proceeding his original task of lifting Peter by the armpits like he had been doing since he found the kid. This time, Peter didn't push him away, raising his arms so Tony could pick him up easier, a heartbreaking look of defeat on his tiny face. Tony felt his heart swell as he proceeded to do so, lifting Peter from his bed and into his arms. He tried to keep the wince off of his face when the wet area touched himself, trying not to feel disgusted. He didn't want to make Peter think he was ashamed of him for it. Tony would just have to grow up and get over it, even if he really didn't want to. He found it gross no matter what.

Once the supplies that FRIDAY had ordered arrived that morning, he knew that things would get a hell of a lot more gross than they were now. There was no avoiding it, and all he would have to do was look after Peter until they changed him back to a teen.

Couldn't be so hard, right?

He felt like he was lying to himself, now.

He carried Peter over to his drawers, letting the kid point out which drawer his shirts were located in. He had no idea where anything was in the room, all he had done was install the furniture and add some small things he thought Peter might like. The room was originally for when Tony offered him a spot on the Avengers, and it had been quickly gaining dust when he declined. Though, ever since Peter began visiting more frequently, the boy would bring some things with him and leave them in the room. The room was pretty much entirely customised by Peter.

Said boy had one arm wrapped around Tony's neck, the other being used to point as Tony opened the drawer he was directed to. He picked out the first shirt he saw, shutting the thing and proceeding to carry Peter to the closest bathroom possible.

How was he supposed to get the kid clean? He couldn't just dump him in the shower, despite how capable Peter was of having a shower. But even he wasn't comfortable with the thought of letting a toddler stay in a shower by himself. But what else was he supposed to do? Put him in the bath? Would Tony have to clean the kid? He really didn't want to put himself, and the kid, through that. He was sure Peter would be mortified either way.

Shower, or bath?

It was going to be terrible either way. Knowing that it was probably almost four in the morning, his conditions couldn't have been better. Just perfect. He wished Pepper were here, she surely would have known what to do. After she had finished screaming at him for letting this happen, she would know what to do.

When he made it to the bathroom, Peter was almost a dead weight in his arms. His head was leaning against Tony's shoulder, both arms now around his neck and legs around his waist as Tony flicked the bathroom light on. He felt Peter wince, cursing himself when he remembered his senses. Goddamnit.

"Fri, dim the lights." Tony mumbled, feeling Peter's hot forehead against his neck. Almost instantly, the lights dimmed and Peter was relaxing very slightly. "Alright, Pete, this is going to be the hard part."

Peter tensed, Tony continued to speak. "I don't think I can just.. put you in the shower, so, um."

"Bath?" Peter asked, his voice so incredibly tiny that Tony immediately wanted to hurl himself off of the closest bridge possible. He was not ready for any of this, and no matter how many times he said it, it was always as daunting. 

"Sorry." Tony replied, leaning forwards over the bath to turn on the water. Peter clung to him as he did so, the sounds of the water filling the bath meeting Tony's ears as he adjusted it to what he thought was a good temperature for the kid. Now, came the actual hard part. Without saying anything, he gently pried Peter off of him and had him stand on the closed toilet lid, hands resting on his hips so he wouldn't fall. "This is the really hard part. Just to let you know, I really don't want to do this either."

Peter still had fat tears rolling down his cheeks, the snot pooling around his nose beginning to dribble over his lips. Just as Tony noticed, Peter seemed to notice too, and soon he was wiping his nose with the back of his hand, his distant eyes looking anywhere but Tony. Tony felt his nose crinkle a little in disgust, but he ignored that and plastered his best comforting expression.

"Cold." Peter mumbled, raising his arms without looking at Tony, seemingly asking him to just do it.

Tony sighed, feeling embarrassed for Peter as he grabbed the hem of the shirt, ignoring the wetness of it as he rolled it up a few times. He then pulled it over Peter's head, making sure he didn't slip from the closed toilet seat as he did so. He discarded the shirt on the floor, cringing when they met their next problem.

Though, Peter didn't seem to care anymore. He was looking at Tony as if to say, just do it and get it over with, Tony doing just that. He helped Peter out of his miniature boxers while looking away as much as possible, hoping to give Peter at least a little piece of dignity back. Even though worse things were to come, Tony could at least make Peter feel better about the situation. When his boxers were off, Tony lifted him him back up and in the direction of the tub within seconds.

Though, when he tried to put the kid in, he suddenly started to struggle.

Tony, from the sudden movement, almost dropped Peter. Horror shot through his veins as he struggled to get a hold on his small body, only then realising the whimpers coming out of his mouth as he curled back up into Tony. "Pete, what's wrong?"

"Wulture." Vulture?

Oh. Right.

That Toomes bastard had dropped Peter into a lake, hadn't he? Tony had his suit get him out. Fuck.

"There's no Vulture here. It's only a bath, and it's warm. Not cold." Tony tried his best, counting it as a win when Peter nodded his head, letting himself be lowered into the bathtub. Peter was still crying when Tony set him down, one small hand gripping onto Tony's wrist as he grabbed the spare shampoo and some soap.

"I'm sorry, Peter." Tony whispered, setting the shampoo down on the floor beside him. "I'm trying to find a solution, I'm trying to find a way to make you big again."

"Don' wike it." Peter whispered, eyebrows furrowing. "Can'.. can' talk norm... norm-"

"Don't stress." Tony muttered, extending the soap in front of him. "Why don't you clean yourself?"

Peter took the soap, Tony's eyes focusing on the tiled wall as Peter scrubbed himself down. The only sounds in the room was the splashing of water and hitched breaths, Peter's breathing much louder due to his blocked nose from crying. Tony didn't leave the side of the bathtub, remembering the stories he had heard about babies and water from Pepper. He wasn't really sure why they had been having that conversation in the first place.

But then, Peter wasn't a baby, but he wasn't in his normal body, and Tony had no idea if he could keep his head up if he went under or be able to bring himself back up. So, he stayed, waiting for Peter to let him know he was finished.

When the soap nudged at his hand, Tony focussed his attention back on Peter. He took the soap from his small hand, setting it on the edge of the tub before looking down at the shampoo he had gotten out. Maybe washing Peter's hair could wait for another time, when they were both a little less traumatised. Or, Peter could do it himself when he got back to normal, which was hopefully soon. 

"You done?" Tony asked, waiting for the nod or sound of confirmation. He did get a nod, and the raising of Peter's arms signalled that he wanted out. Hesitantly, Tony stood up and lifted Peter's small frame out of the tub, holding him awkwardly away from his body as he looked around for a towel. He leant over to the towel rack, yanking the first one he saw off of it before setting Peter back onto the closed toilet seat, wrapping the towel around him so he was covered.

"Tony?" Tony met Peter's eyes upon being addressed, hanging how vulnerable the kid looked with those much bigger, brown doe eyes. "Don'.. don' have to..."

Tony smiled sadly. "I know this is hard."

"You.. don' have to." 

Tony suddenly felt tired. "Don't worry about it, I don't mind. And I don't think you'd be able to handle it all yourself." He sort of minded.

Peter didn't answer, so Tony slowly began to dry Peter off. He tried his best not to make it awkward, quickly finishing the job before dropping the towel and reaching for the clean t-shirt. He manipulated Peter into the shirt, the kid not doing much to help as he began to lean forwards, Tony worrying that he were going to face plant off of the toilet. Once the shirt was over his body, Tony felt himself relax, letting Peter lean forwards and rest his head on his shoulder. "Tired?"

Peter nodded against his shoulder.

"You're gonna have to go commando until the stuff gets here." Tony mumbled, not wanting to talk too loud in case he startled the kid. "Just, um, let me know when you need to go and I'll take you?"

"Didn' know." Peter mumbled, leaning heavier into Tony's shoulder. It was when Peter's small feet almost slid of the toilet seat that Tony pulled him back into his arms, unsure really of what he was trying to say. "Didn' realw- realwise." 

Did that mean Peter no longer had any control over his bladder? 

Tony wasn't sure if he liked that possibility, and he physically felt his heart fall out of his ass and to the middle of the Earth. "Okay. Okay, that's fine. Don't worry about it. We'll.. we'll figure something out."

"Sowwy." 

"Don't apologise. Wanna go back to bed?"

Peter nodded.

Tony then moved out of the bathroom, ignoring the still-full bathtub and the mess of a bathroom for later. He flicked the light off, carrying Peter down the hall and back into his room. It was when he realised he had forgotten about the still wet sheets when another problem arose. 

"I'm gonna have to change the sheets." Tony mumbled, mostly to himself and not really to Peter. Without saying anything else, he began to rip back to the soaked sheets with one hand, Peter clinging onto him like a monkey. There was still some part of Tony that felt uncomfortable because of the toddler hanging onto him, but the other parts of him made him realise that he didn't really mind. Despite how bizarre the situation was, Tony couldn't help but wonder if this was what being a father felt like.

Nope. He couldn't get into that train of thought right now, he had bigger issues to worry about.

He tossed the sheets onto the floor in a pile, deciding to worry about them later as he moved over to one of the closets in Peter's room. Luckily, whoever made the beds had put plastic covers on all the mattresses. Tony was a little skeptical when he noticed his own bed had one, but he never took it off, because really. Could he be bothered? Nope.

He vaguely remembered Pepper telling him the location of spare sheets, so after a solid minute of looking through the few closets in Peter's room, he found them. He gathered them all in his free arm before moving back to the bed, wondering how exactly he was going to do this with one arm.

"Hey, Pete, do you think you could stand for a bit so I can do this?" Tony asked, Peter raising his head from where it had been resting on his shoulder. The tips of his fingers had once again disappeared into his mouth as he looked at Tony nervously, a childlike gleam in his eyes that Tony knew he would never forget. It was different from what he had seen since he found Peter like this, and he wasn't sure if he liked it at all. After a few seconds, Peter nodded, and Tony gently set him down on his bare feet.

As he let go, Peter swayed, falling into Tony's legs with a surprised squeak. He gripped onto his pants as if to keep himself upright, Tony having a momentary heart attack when he thought Peter would turn around and face plant after yanking his pants down to stay upright. But instead, Peter steadied himself, pushing back from Tony's legs and shuffled around, his little arms spread out wide as if to keep balanced. He was now behind Tony, still standing close, looking up at him with now fearful eyes. Luckily, Tony's pants were still around his waist. 

He decided to get this part done as fast as possible, knowing full well that he didn't know how to make beds properly. He always left his untidy, and he knew Pepper was always the one to make them look nice and actually stay on the bed. Before that, it had been the cleaners. So, he was pretty much winging it. As he did with everything.

After a few minutes of struggle, Tony finally managed to do an okay job of making Peter's bed for him. He admired his work for a few more seconds, shamefully proud of himself, before turning around to the miniature sized Peter Parker, who hadn't moved from his spot behind Tony. He looked so incredibly tiny Tony was suddenly terrified that he would hurt him, his heart pounding in his ears as the kid stared at the floor as if it were the most interesting thing ever.

Swallowing his doubts, he forced himself to kneel down so he was at the same height as Peter. The whole situation suddenly became a lot more real, Tony knowing for a fact that he would never have expected something like this to happen. Something like this shouldn't even be possible. How could this have been possible? Who was the dickhead wielding alien technology? Was their aliens on the planet again? Why would they want to go around de-aging people?

All this ran through his head as he stared at Peter, who still wasn't looking at him. So, Tony finally mustered up the courage to speak, suddenly feeling a lot more nervous than he had been when he first got alarmed that Peter was in distress.

"I've finished making the bed..." He trailed when Peter's head shot up, his tired eyes meeting his. "Want to get in?"

Peter was nodding, shuffling closer to Tony as he did so. Tony gently hauled him up, turning around and placing him onto the bed, mirroring the things he had done just a few hours ago when he had put Peter to bed the first time. Soon, the covers were pulled to his chin and Tony was running a hand through his hair, hoping that Peter would be able to fall back asleep so he could go back down into the lab and try and figure out how to change him back. Maybe FRIDAY had found a solution while he was up here helping Peter?

A sparkle of hope filled his chest as he watched Peter's eyes droop, though the worry never left the kid's face. When he finally dozed off almost fifteen minutes later, he looked stressed, and the look of stress had never looked so wrong on a child's face before. Tony gently ran his thumb over his creased eyebrows as if he were trying to smooth them out, though Peter's expression didn't fade into the peaceful one he was hoping for. It was a very teen Peter look. 

With a sigh, he pulled away, turning around and making his way back out of the room after switching off the lamp. He took one last look at Peter before quietly shutting the door, taking himself in the direction of his lab without hesitation.

When he reached the lab, he was immediately asking FRIDAY if she had found anything that could cure Peter.

And when she said no, Tony could do nothing but rest his head on the cool workbench surface and groan as loud as he could. 

They were in for a hell of a ride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please leave some feedback, it really helps with ideas and inspiration!
> 
> sorry if this was bad and ooc lmao


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY so i've decided to post this earlier than i anticipated because i am well ahead in writing this, and i have a lot of inspiration at the moment and i'm actually liking this fic? i just started chap 12 and i think it's going okay.
> 
> yeah yeah i know these first chapters are slow and kind of dry but there's drama next chapter heh 
> 
> i also haven't added any other characters to the tags just yet because i want it to be a surprise??? i guess
> 
> enjoy some more baby peter and clueless tony

Despite all of Tony's morals, somehow, he had managed to fall asleep sitting up hunched over his workbench, waking up with horrible neck and back pain as he straightened himself up, choosing to ignore the painful cracks and cricks throughout his bones. Someone was tapping his shoulder, no, someone was smacking his shoulder. Very aggressively. Tony slowly moving his blurred eyes to find the person who was annoyingly hitting him, narrowing them as Rhodey's face came into focus.

The man stopped prodding him once he noticed Tony was looking at him, moving to cross his arms over his chest. Tony groaned. "What time is it?" 

"Nine." Rhodey replied, Tony rolling his eyes as they began to focus on his best friend's disappointed face. What was wrong this time? What had he done this time? "It only took me an hour to figure out you were hiding out down here again. I thought you kicked that habit, Tones? Please don't tell me you've been drinking-"

"Jesus Christ, what are you even talking about?" Tony snapped, straightening himself more and rubbing the back of his neck. "I wasn't hiding out down here."

"Really? Well while you've been off doing whatever down here, Peter has been..."

Oh, shit. Peter.

For a split second, Tony had forgotten the whole situation of Peter being regressed into a toddler. How could he forget something big like that? Jesus, he was an idiot. With a glare in Rhodey's direction, he forced his muscles to comply as he rose from his desk chair, bracing his hands against the bench as he pushed himself up. "I wasn't hiding, dipshit. I was trying to figure something out for Peter. What's wrong with him?"

"Well, he's been crying non-stop since he woke up almost an hour and a half ago. You know, you really shouldn't be leaving him on the floor by himself." Rhodey continued, Tony worrying his lip as he listened to his friend. "Apparently FRIDAY couldn't wake you up, so she woke Happy and I instead. Peter won't let any of us change him into the stuff you ordered, he wouldn't eat anything, and he's still crying. I think he wants you, or he wants to go home, I don't know. Tony, even if this is you, you should know not to leave children by themselves."

"I have Fri to alert me of any problems." Tony replied, not looking at his friend.

Rhodey never said anything to that.

"Why would he want me.." Tony mumbled afterwards, beginning his mission to get to Peter before things got worse than they were. "Where are they?"

"In the living room. Happy's with the kid. Reluctantly." Rhodey replied, Tony only needing that before he began walking as fast as he could in the direction of the lift. All lab results and solutions forgotten, he got into the lift with Rhodey on his tail. It was a silent, and short, trip up to Tony's personal floor, Tony anxiously playing with the hem of his shirt. 

Once they reached the floor, Tony made his way to the living room with his heart pounding when the cries began to make their way into his ears. He shared a glance with Rhodey, who shrugged, Tony narrowing his eyes for a few seconds before turning back around. He guessed it was now or never, right?

When he entered the living room, the loud cries had died down and his ears were no longer screaming. He spotted Happy and Peter on the couch immediately, the kid perched on Happy's lap and was currently peering over both the man's shoulder and the back of the couch, right at Tony. The innocent look in his eyes made Tony want to instantly cave in and do whatever the kid wanted, which he was sure he did even when Peter was a teenager, and he was constantly scolded for it. It wasn't surprising that his teenage trait had transferred into his toddler one, and this made Tony wonder if Peter did this as a child.

Without much more hesitation, he slowly made his way to Peter and Happy, noting the few boxes scattered around the place. Some were open, and he could just see the objects inside. Kid's clothes, some toys, other things that Tony was sure Peter would hate. Hell, Tony hated it. He hated it because Peter was forced to go through with it, and he hated it because he had no idea how to look after a kid. The only thing keeping him going was the fact that Peter wasn't a normal baby, and it was just a teenager's mind crammed into a toddler's. But even that was doing little to comfort his inexperience. 

"What's the matter, Pete?" Tony asked, moving around the couch so he could see Happy's face as well. Tony had to restrain the humour from showing when he saw the look on the man's face, clearly not appreciating Peter climbing all over him as he moved around to watch Tony move around the couch. "What's the tears for?"

Peter didn't answer him, instead moving himself off of Happy's lap and off of the couch. Tony watched curiously as Peter moved over to him, his thumb inching towards his mouth as he seemed to look around at all of the boxes. 

"Fix yet?" His small, shaky voice broke the momentary silence. Tony felt his heart drop into his shoes when he realised what Peter meant, the hope in his childish eyes making him feel horrible. He didn't know how to get Peter back to normal yet.

"I'm sorry, kid, but we haven't figured anything out yet." Tony hated the way the hope from the kid's eyes fell away, the few nods of his head signifying that he had understood him. Tony decided to bring the topic of clothes up before anything else, wanting to get it over with as fast as possible. "I bet you're uncomfortable in just a shirt, yeah? It doesn't really fit."

Peter's eyes seemed to widen in fear at his words, Tony feeling horrible for the fountain of tears that followed. God, he was horrible. But there was nothing else they could do until they figured out how to get Peter back to normal. "N-no. I'm 'kay."

"Kiddie, there's nothing else we can do." Tony kneeled down to Peter's new height, hoping he hadn't been threatening the kid from standing for so long. "I'm sorry."

"Uh, Tony, he's-" Happy didn't even have to finish his sentence, because Tony could see it. Sadness for Peter and uncomfortableness for himself began to surge through his veins as he watched the dark patch spread across the shirt, the liquid dripping onto the floor as Peter looked down at himself. "God."

Tony glared up at Happy, before looking back at Peter. Peter was still looking down, his little hands shaking before he looked right back up at Tony. His face was beat red, the tears falling rapidly as he looked back at himself, than back at Tony.

"Sowwy." The kid whispered, the panic displayed all over his innocent face. "I didn' k-know."

"Don't worry about it. Um, come on, you gotta get clean." Tony hurried slightly, standing back up and offering his hand for Peter's. Thankfully, the kid took it without complaint and let Tony pull him around. Tony made sure he moved a little slower so Peter could keep up, knowing his smaller legs couldn't move as fast and he was pretty much running to keep up with him. Sometimes, well, all the time, he had no idea how children worked.

He moved from box to box, gathering things and shoving them under one arm so he could carry them. He had no idea how he was going to do this, he had no idea what the fuck he was doing. If you told Tony from two days ago what was happening and what he was doing, he would never have believed it. He would have laughed in your face and called you fucking insane. 

First he grabbed a onsie-type jumpsuit, only because it was the first thing in the box he saw. He was pretty sure they were pyjamas, but that was a worry for another time as he moved to another box, searching for the things Tony knew they would both hate. He found the supplies for them first, running of general knowledge as he grabbed cream and wipes and whatever looked like would go with a diaper change. God, what was he doing? Was he really about to change a diaper?

He paused when he saw the packages, in the very bottom of the box. They were definitely diapers. Tony had been hoping that they wouldn't need them, but after Peter's two times of wetting himself without realising he needed to go... they would need them. No matter how much they both were going to hate it, he supposed they would both have to deal with it, right? He also had no idea if he still had control over his bowels or not...

He really didn't like the thought of an accident like that happening. 

He ripped the package open with one hand, trying to move as fast as possible. He grabbed the one closest to the rip, pulling it out and deciding to hold it in his hand instead of underneath his arm, which was already full of stuff. He briefly looked down at Peter, who was watching with a thumb in his mouth and terrified eyes. He seemed so much like teenage Peter but also like a baby that it threw Tony off, finding himself unsure how to react. 

It wasn't every day your teenage mentee gets de-aged into a toddler.

He ignored the thought and continued to gather the things, slyly grabbing a package containing a pacifier before beginning to move out of the room and in the direction of a bathroom. He threw a glance over to Happy and Rhodey, who were watching with widened eyes. "One of you clean it up!"

He turned back around, ignoring their sounds of protest as he led Peter out of the room. He could hear the kid hiccuping, and he found himself not wanting to look down and see the kid's face. Tony soon realised that he hated to see Peter cry.

Once they made it to the bathroom, Tony was already dumping the supplies onto the counter and getting ready to lift Peter onto the closed toilet seat. Peter continued to hiccup, Tony catching his expression as he began to roll up the shirt by the hem, getting ready to take it off so the kid wouldn't have to be uncomfortable for any longer.

Peter's face was still beat red, crocodile tears streaking down his face as he avoided eye contact. He hated the shame that was displaying on the kid's face, and even though he had literally no experience with kids, he knew they weren't supposed to look so sad. They weren't supposed to look so dejected.

"Peter, I'm not mad." Tony said, catching the kid's attention. Peter only nodded, lifting his arms for Tony to take off the shirt. Tony did so as quickly as he could, already grabbing a towel and the packet of wipes. He handed the towel to Peter, not wanting to push the kid too far incase he wasn't comfortable with that, just like last night. He also wanted to save himself the discomfort. He adverted his eyes, focusing on breaking open the packet of wipes so he could hand that to the kid next.

"'ony." Tony looked up when he heard his name, faced with the sight of Peter holding the towel out to him. "Can' do it. Help? Pwease?"

Tony couldn't help the smile that came onto his face. Despite how uncomfortable he felt, the look on Peter's face and the sound of his voice was.. cute. He grabbed the towel, pushing down his worries and gently began drying Peter off, trying his best not to look. Once he was finished, he used the wipes, not really knowing what he was doing but doing it anyways. He hated this. He kept checking Peter for any sign telling him to stop, but the kid was just looking away from him with tears still running down his face.

Once he was finished, he immediately felt horrible all over again. "This is going to be the really hard part." He whispered, not really sure if he was talking to Peter or himself. Peter, being the Spider-Kid he was, heard every word he said, and the look on mortification on his face made him want to instantly forget about the diapers. But it seemed as if Peter had no control, and he'd rather have him in diapers than nothing.

Jesus, he really was beginning to sound like a parent. This was not him. Even if he was starting to sound like one, it wasn't going to stop him from thinking that changing someone else's diaper was discomforting. 

He ignored that thought, reaching forward to wipe the tears from Peter's cheeks, trying to distract the both of them. "Sorry, Pete."

Peter said nothing, instead lifting his arms to be picked up. 

"Okay, FRIDAY, how do I do this?" Tony lifted Peter by the armpits, wrapping the towel around him before setting him in his lap. "I have no idea how to diaper a kid. Walk me through it."

Peter tensed, his head becoming buried in Tony's shoulder. He rubbed Peter's back in what he hoped was a comforting way, hopefully getting the message across that he didn't want to do this, either. He really, really didn't want to do this.

"I have ordered a changing table and changing mats for young Peter." FRIDAY spoke up, Peter once again tensing. "If you do not want to use them just yet, I recommend laying a towel on the ground."

Tony did as his AI said, leaning over to yank another towel from the towel rack before laying it across the tiles, straightening out all the creases as FRIDAY rattled off some more instructions. 

"Lay Young Peter onto the changing mat and grab the diaper, Boss." Tony did as he was told, Peter not fighting. All he did was look up at Tony with fear, and Tony smiled apologetically back. If they didn't do this now, they never would, and Tony wasn't sure how Peter would cope with another accident. "Open the diaper."

Tony looked up at the ceiling after he was finished, silently egging FRIDAY to continue. "Gently lift Peter by the ankles and slid the diaper underneath his bottom."

Tony glanced at Peter, who looked like he was about to crack. He had his thumb shoved in his mouth as if he were trying to quiet himself down, fat tears rolling down his red cheeks as he looked anywhere but Tony. When he hiccuped on a sob, Tony decided to talk. "I'm sorry Peter, I know you don't want to do this. I don't want to either. I really don't want to do this at all."

Peter showed no sign of hearing him, so he went through with FRIDAY's instructions. He removed the towel he had wrapped around Peter's waist and used one hand to grab his ankles, gently pulling him up so he could push the diaper underneath. "Boss, the diaper is backwards."

Tony muttered curses under his breath as he pulled it back out, keeping Peter in the air as he turned it around. He pushed it back underneath Peter, before gently laying him back down on top of the diaper. 

"Pull the front up and fasten the tabs." Tony did as was said, and soon, he was finished. Thank God.

Wow. He just diapered a kid.

It was one of the most uncomfortable experiences of his life so far.

Well...

Peter knew he was finished, too, because as soon as Tony leant back on his knees, the sobs began. Tony watched sadly as the thumb left Peter's mouth, both of his tiny hands moving to try and get the diaper off of him, his fingers trying to pry the tabs off of the rest of the diaper. Before he could succeed, Tony gently grabbed his hands and pulled them away. Peter didn't fight him, and instead, he flopped back onto the floor with a thud. 

Tony swore he almost had a heart attack when he saw Peter smack his head against the floor, knowing that underneath that towel was tiles. There was no way that the towel would do anything to protect his head. In that moment, Tony failed to remember that Peter was not a normal toddler, and continued to scoop the sobbing kid into his arms. Peter now had a small hand on the back of his own head, his face moving back to the crook of Tony's neck.

"I know, I know." Tony mumbled, feeling his own worries begin to surface, all signs of his discomfort buried for that very moment. "It sucks, I know. But there's nothing we can do until I figure out a solution."

"W-wanna be big a-again." Peter all but whispered right next to Tony's ear, Tony's heart cracking with every word that came out of little Peter's mouth. "Don' wanna stay wike this."

"I know." Tony repeated, pushing himself into a standing position with Peter in his arms, bouncing him as gently as he could. You were meant to do that for children, right? "I know. I want you to be big again too."

"'M sowwy." Tony had to hold back rolling his eyes. Even as a toddler, Peter was apologising for things he shouldn't even be apologising for. 

"Don't say sorry for things that aren't your fault." Tony mumbled, knowing that Peter would have heard him. He felt the nod of the kid's head against his neck as he moved to grab the clothing he had brought with him, hoping it wouldn't bother the kid even more. He was sure Peter didn't want to walk around in just a diaper, and he was sure that he would be cold if he did. "Do you want to get dressed?"

Another nod, and Tony went to gently place Peter back on the closed toilet seat. The word 'cute' filtered through his mind again when he looked at Peter, in just a diaper, thumb shoved in his mouth as he looked up at Tony with watery eyes. Never had Tony expected this to happen or to be in that position, and the amount of times he had been surprised since finding Peter in that alleyway was adding up.

Silently, he helped Peter get into the onsie, hoping his feet wouldn't be cold as the clothing only went to his ankles. He buttoned up the front, smiling softly when he realised that it was an Iron Man onsie. Of course FRIDAY would buy an Iron Man onsie.

"I didn't even pick this on purpose, y'know." Tony mumbled as he buttoned up the last button, just under Peter's chin. "If you hate it that much, we can change. Maybe Fri ordered a Cap one for ya?"

He wasn't expecting a giggle, of all noises Peter could make after bawling his eyes out.

Tony looked up at the kid, who had a little smile on his face despite the tears. His smile transferred over to Tony, who couldn't help but smile too. Now, that was strange.

"You hungry?" Another nod with arms raised. "You can walk, can't you?" A nod. "Do you want to?" A shake. "I'm going to have back issues after this is all over, won't I?"

Peter answered with another tiny smile around his thumb. Tony lifted him up nonetheless, letting the kid wrap around him like an octopus. Peter wasn't really that heavy, if he thought about it, so he let the thought of his back issues slide as he moved Peter out of the bathroom. He managed to snag the packeted pacifier as he did so, shifting Peter in his arms so he could hold the packet behind the kid's back. He decided he would clean everything up and move it to another bathroom that wasn't used by other people later, more focussed on getting Peter fed. 

How was he supposed to make sure that Peter ate when he hardly ate at all? He knew very well about his awful habits, and he didn't think they would become a problem until now. How was he supposed to know Peter wanted to eat? It wasn't like the kid could get up and walk over to the pantry by himself now. 

Maybe Tony wasn't going to be so good at this. "Hey, kid, you gotta let me know when you're hungry. You know I don't have the best eating habits and hardly remember anything.. so..."

"Yes, 'ony." 

Tony smiled. Toddler Peter seemed to have completely forgotten about calling him Mr. Stark.

That was one good thing that was coming from this situation.

It didn't take long for the two of them to reach the kitchen, Tony's mouth falling open when he was faced with the sight in front of him. Rhodey was cooking, it seemed, and Tony could see the almost perfectly made pancakes sitting there ready to eat. As he entered the room, he could smell it, and he could see the one plate that was cut up into smaller portions. That plate was most likely, if not definitely, for Peter.

He continued moving into the room, ignoring the angry glare that Happy was sending his way as he sat down, placing Peter in the chair next to him. Happy was definitely the one who would have had to clean up Peter's pee. 

It was in that moment he remembered that high chairs were a thing, and he was left wondering if toddlers Peter's age needed them anymore. He ignored the thought for now, deciding against asking FRIDAY if he needed one and if she had purchased one for him. He would look through those boxes when Peter wasn't around. He settled for setting the still packeted pacifier on the table to the side of him, ignoring the looks both Happy and Rhodey sent his way.

God, when Pepper returned from her trip, what was she going to think?

He continued to ignore his thoughts as he watched Rhodey move over to them, gently pushing the plate of cut up pancakes in Peter's direction. The kid watched him, his eyes wide with what almost looked like childish endearment. Peter had moved so he was kneeling, peering over at the table with both hands on the edge. Tony found himself wondering what would happen if he slipped as the kid reached out for some of the pancake, picking it up with his fingers and shoving it in his mouth. Tony took his eyes away from the sight and moved to eat his own, thanking Rhodey with his eyes as he stuffed his face.

Yeah, maybe he had been really hungry. But there was no way he was going to admit that to Rhodey nor Happy.

So, they sat there, eating their breakfast, the silence deafening as they did so. Each time Peter shuffled, Tony could hear the crinkling of the diaper and the uncomfortable noise that came from the kid straight after. Jesus, Peter must be humiliated. He would have payed all kinds of money to get the kid out of that thing, knowing very well that he knew how to go to the toilet by himself. But knowing that he apparently had no control and had two accidents already, Tony had no other options.

It was better than having his floors and beds covered in piss, he supposed.

But there came the awkwardness when it would have to be Tony who had to change Peter's dirty diapers, and knowing that at some point it wasn't going to just be pee. God, he hated the idea of even changing any diaper on any child...

He could worry about that when the time came.

All he had to focus on was a way he could get Peter back to his normal, very teenage self. As soon as Peter was sleeping that night, he was planning to stay up all night with FRIDAY trying to figure out a way to make him big again.

He spared a glance at the kid, that same warm feeling spreading out of his chest when he saw him sitting there, shoving pancake pieces in his mouth while swinging his legs back and forth. The sight was cute, so childish, and Tony once again found himself wondering if Peter knew what he was doing in that very moment.

Instead of asking him and ruining the calm moment, he went back to his own food with a sigh.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please send feedback it really helps me write


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> welllll i really have nothing to say but thanks for all your kind comments! it really keeps me inspired. <3
> 
> if i say anything i'll just spoil it, so, have fun

Surprisingly, the day had been running quite smoothly despite their current situation.

After breakfast, Tony had set Peter down with one of the StarkPads and some headphones, leaving him on the couch as he rummaged through the countless boxes that had been delivered. He wondered what the people who delivered them might have been thinking when they saw the address, but he ignored that thought and continued to pull things out.

He glanced at Peter ever so often, who just sat there with the StarkPad on his legs, the device being elevated by a stand as Peter watched whatever was going on on the screen. Whatever it was, it seemed to be entertaining him, and he hadn't looked up once when Tony had watched him for a little while. Therefore, he had no reaction towards the items Tony was yanking out of boxes and depositing on the floor and coffee table.

The first things Tony had found was the carseat, which he didn't think that they were going to use. He pushed the box aside, moving onto the next one which was a booster seat for a normal chair. Maybe Peter could use that until he was big again? Since he literally had to kneel to reach the table, maybe that would come in handy.

But Tony had no idea how long this was going to last for, and he had to tell May where he was sometime that day. Or, he could wait until she called him and say that he thought Peter had called. That sounded like a good decoy plan, right?

"Fri? Still working on it?" He didn't really know what to call Peter's situation, so 'it' would have to do.

"Yes, Boss. I have not found anything as of yet. I am currently observing young Peter's blood."

"Tell me if there's anything up with it." Tony replied, before continuing to pull things out of boxes. The next box was the one he had been through briefly, one that was filled with tiny kid's clothes that were undoubtedly Avengers themed. Tony had to push down his sadness and slight betrayal when he found the Captain America group of clothing, deciding to leave those in the bottom of the box. Even though he had joked about a Cap onsie and knew how much Peter admired the man, he didn't fancy seeing his shield all over the place right now.

There were even some tiny sets of shoes, which Tony thought were adorable.

Tony Stark didn't often think things were adorable.

He couldn't wait to tease Peter about his little shoes when he was back to normal.

He paused, almost gagging at his own thoughts. He was turning into a complete sap.

He moved onto the next box, which was also one he had been through before. This seemed to be the one filled with necessities, like sippy cups and packets of diapers, extra pacifiers, kids shampoos and soaps and things alike. There were even some of those water diapers kids used to swim, and Tony knew to toss those aside because he knew he wouldn't be taking Peter swimming anytime soon. Christ, he wasn't taking Peter anywhere. He wasn't the kid's father.

He knew deep down that he wouldn't mind if Peter was his son, but he was going to let that thought slide. No need to start thinking about shit like that with what was currently going on, so he ignored the intruding thoughts and continued with the task at hand.

He made a pile of the things on the floor, tossing the box away from him before moving onto the next.

This one was filled with toys. Tony observed each one as he pulled it out, wondering if Peter would ever actually want to play with these for the time he was regressed into a toddler. Tony knew the kid was obsessed with Legos as a teenager, so he wondered if he would use them as a baby too. He added the boxes of Legos to the pile that Peter might use, pausing when he pulled out two remote control cars, one Iron Man and one Spider-Man themed. Of course FRIDAY would order those. He also pulled out some stuffed animals, pushing them into the middle of the piles. He was undecided on that one.

He placed the two cars in the 'Peter might use' pile, thinking about offering them to Peter to keep him entertained later on along with the Lego. He dug deeper into the box, pulling out a box set of Avengers action figures and then mimics of their actual weapons. There was one of his gauntlets that could go around a child's hand, a Hawkeye plastic bow and arrow, Cap's shield, and even Natasha's widow's bites.

He added them to the pile he would offer to Peter, tossing the box with the others once he was finished with it. The rest of the boxes just consisted of some more necessities, even a fucking stroller, which Tony was sure he was never going to use. He pushed that with the carseat box, too. Before he knew it, everything was strewn out across his living room. Suddenly, it looked like Tony Stark didn't even live there anymore.

He looked at the mess he had created for a few minutes, before letting his eyes drift over to Peter. His eyes were still glued to the screen, his tiny index finger disappearing behind his lips as he continued to watch the tablet. Tony pushed himself into a standing position, not bothering about being quiet because Peter wouldn't even react.

He moved over behind the couch to take a peek at what had been keeping the kid so entertained, almost bursting into laughter when he saw what he was watching.

Peter was quite literally watching videos of himself, as Spider-Man, on YouTube. He took a little peak at the title, his smile widening when he read it.

Spider-Man's coolest moves compilation.

Of course Peter would watch something like that.

Tony just shook his head, moving away from the couch and back to his mountain of items. God, what the hell was he supposed to do?

He found himself standing there for who knows how long, staring at the large mass of objects FRIDAY ordered. He was like that until someone else entered the area, Tony's eyes moving to the culprit. It was Rhodey, who was peering over the couch to see what Peter was looking at. He merely raised his eyebrows before looking over at Tony, who just shrugged his shoulders in return. He had no idea what to do with himself.

He settled for sitting with Rhodey in the middle of the mess on the couch, the TV switched on and playing some random movie as they sat in silence. Peter still hadn't moved, his head buried in the StarkPad the entire time they spent there. Tony found himself thankful that he had stayed unaware of everything, making it easier for him to get his head around the situation himself. God, if FRIDAY or himself couldn't figure out what was wrong with him, they were all screwed. If Peter had to grow up for a second time, how would they be able to tell that to his Aunt? What was he supposed to do with him? 

All these thoughts ran through his mind for the two hours they were sat there, all up until the time Peter seemed to become bored with the StarkPad.

"'ony." He heard from beside him, tearing his eyes away from the television that he hadn't really been watching to look at the kid. The headphones were off and the tablet screen was black, so Tony immediately assumed that Peter had gotten bored. Before he could voice this, though, Peter was talking. "Flat."

Oh. So his tablet had run out of battery. "Alright then. Ummm.." Tony trailed, looking around the room for something to entertain the kid. When he looked back, Peter was as white as a sheet, and was staring at the large quantities of objects around the room. Shit.

Tony should have been able to realise that was when everything began to go downhill.

"For me?" Peter had questioned, his wide and fearful eyes moving to meet Tony's. Tony felt Rhodey tense beside him, but he ignored it as he plastered the best smile he could on his face. He nodded, watching as Peter looked back to the large amount of stuff on the coffee table and floor. He said nothing else, and Tony decided that now would be an okay time to offer Peter some of the things.

He stood up, ignoring the cracking of his knees as he made his way over to the 'Peter might use' pile, bending down to grab one box of legos and the two RC cars. He felt both Peter and Rhodey's eyes on him as he did so, though he ignored it and made his way back over to the pint sized Peter Parker.

Peter was looking at him fully now, having moved the StarkPad aside with the headphones on top of them. Tony kneeled in front of him, pushing the bad thoughts and awkwardness away as he placed the toys on the couch in front of Peter. Peter looked at the toys, then to Tony, back to the toys and right back at Tony. Tony didn't know what to make of the expression on the kid's face, so instead of dwelling he went right into it, even though he had no idea what he was doing.

"I remember you telling me you liked to do Legos with your friend. What was his name? Ted? Ned? That doesn't matter." Tony might have been rambling, but who was he to admit that? "I don't know if they're as cool as the sets you buy with your friend, but they're there, so..."

"Not a baby." Tony cringed. He physically cringed.

"Yes, I know. I thought it might help with the boredom while FRIDAY and I figure out how to get you back to normal." Tony replied, finding himself looking at the toys rather than Peter's face. "It's not like you can go out as Spider-Man when you're hardly above my knees."

There was no answer, so he continued. "The cars look pretty cool. The colours are a bit off, though, which is disappointing. But don't they look inviting?"

He picked up one of the cars, the Spider-Man one, and began unboxing it. He glanced at Peter a few times, and each time he was looking at the car in his hands with a new expression that he once again couldn't figure out. Tony made quick work of ripping the packaging off of the RC toy, cursing whoever packaged the thing when he came across the little straps keeping the toy to the cardboard.

Rather than leaving Peter with Rhodey, he simply used his fingers to try and rip at the little annoying straps. After some effort, he managed to do the impossible and ripped off all of the straps, tossing them to the side with the rest of the box. Now that he had the control and the car out, he passed the controls to Peter and placed the car on the floor.

Batteries. Hm.

"Rhodey, could you be a dear-" Tony began, batting his eyelashes at his best friend. He watched him roll his eyes, already pushing himself into a standing position.

"Yes, father." Rhodey grumbled, Tony smiling evilly as Rhodey disappeared from the area and into the kitchen.

He looked back to Peter, who was fiddling with the remote control with his tiny fingers. His hands didn't seem to be able to fit across the whole thing, Tony frowning when he noticed the frustration on Peter's face as he tried to reach all of the controls with both hands. Wasn't this supposed to be a kid's toy?

He ignored the thought as Rhodey returned, holding a pack of batteries in his hand. Without a word, he tossed them in Tony's direction and they almost got him right in the face. He didn't miss the tiny giggle from Peter, a little smile of his own passing over his face as he ripped the packet apart. He gestured to Peter for the remote, the kid handing it over to him where he turned it over to put in the batteries. With a muttered curse, he looked up at Rhodey who once again rolled his eyes.

"Thanks dear." Tony once again batted his eyelashes as Rhodey got back um, grumbling under his breath as he disappeared from sight.

It wasn't long before the man returned, screwdriver in his hand and a scowl on his face. "Don't expect me to do this all the time."

"You won't have to." Tony replied, grabbing the screwdriver and pried the back casing off of the remote. He placed the batteries in and reassembled the controller, handing it back to Peter before doing the same with the car before turning both on.

He moved to sit next to Peter, watching as he began to fiddle with the controller once again. This time, the little Spider-Man car was moving, driving off in the direction of the coffee table leg. Tony looked toward Peter, who had his tongue sticking out as he tried directing it away from the table leg, but his fingers were too small and clumsy.

So, when the plastic car smacked against the wood, the disappointment was clear on the kid's face.

Tony turned back to the toy, watching as it reversed before taking off in a different direction. This time, it hit his foot. He smiled, just watching as Peter tried to control the thing for a solid half an hour, the determination on his face being one of the most intriguing things that Tony had ever seen.

It wasn't long after that when everything turned to shit.

He had turned to Rhodey to talk when something went flying in the corner of his eye, heading straight for his coffee table. He turned his head at the very last moment, watching as the RC controller quite literally smashed into pieces from how hard it had been thrown. It was silent for a second before he looked over at Peter, whose face was bright red and had tears running down his cheeks.

Tony had no idea how to react to Peter's outburst and destroying of his RC controller, but in all truths, he had no time to react. Before he or Rhodey could react, Peter's arms were flying around and pulling at the onsie Tony had put him in, his fingers yanking at the buttons keeping it in place. Once again, before Tony could react, Peter yanked all of the buttons clean. He definitely used some of his powers right there, because there was no way a normal kid should have been able to rip off buttons from top to bottom.

During all of this, Peter had somehow wiggled off of the couch, and was now standing and desperately tugging the onsie off of himself. He was sobbing, Tony having literally no idea how to react or what the hell to do. What was he supposed to do when his mentee had been regressed into a toddler and was quite literally having some sort of emotional breakdown or tantrum? He wasn't fit for the parenting roll, and everything had been quite easy up until that point. This, is when he realised it wasn't going to be as easy as he thought. Well, he had never really though that it would be easy.

It wasn't going to be easy because Teen Peter was still in there, knowing full well of what was going on. It wasn't going to be easy because Tony had no idea how to be a parent or even a father figure, let alone a mentor. He was so far out of his field, and it took him this long to realise it. Jesus, it had barely been a day since Tony had found the kid in the alley, and he was already losing the plot.

Instead of freaking out like he very wished to do, he decided to give it a chance. He tried to grab Peter's arms from where he was in the middle of ridding himself of the onsie, taking his hands back in shock when Peter lashed out.

"Come on, Pete, tell me what's the matter." Peter had never told Tony what was wrong when he was a teenager, and he didn't know what he was expecting from a toddler version of him. "Please, kid, stop doing that."

Peter was either ignoring him or didn't hear him, which Tony suspected was the first option. Peter somehow got completely out of the onsie, and was now standing there with only a diaper on and a red face. Tony noted the slightly darker part of the diaper, the realisation dawning on him in that very moment.

It was when Peter started pushing and pulling at the diaper when Tony decided to talk some more. "Why don't I change you, then? Is that what's wrong?"

"No!" Peter screeched especially loud, making Tony jump. "Go 'way!"

Tony could feel his frustration beginning to rise as Peter continued pushing, quite literally screaming in anger when it wouldn't budge. Tony winced, sharing a glance with a shocked-looking Rhodey. Tony knew that if Peter used his powers again, the diaper would come right off. The kid seemed to be refraining from doing so, and Tony began to wonder if he really wanted it off at all.

"Then tell me what's wrong." Tony replied, trying to keep the patience he was quickly losing. "This is very unlike the Peter I know."

"Go 'way!" Peter screeched for a second time, pushing away Tony's hands when he tried to reach out to him for a second time. "Don' touch me!"

"Are you having a tantrum?"

"GO 'WAY!"

Tony had no idea what the fuck to do. He was getting angry now, Peter's screaming doing nothing to help him as the kid stood there, beat red face and downward eyebrows. He was quickly losing his patience.

Peter's eyes were full of rage, something that look slightly familiar to Tony. It looked like a picture of his toddler self he was familiar with, where he had that exact rage-filled expression. But seeing a young Peter with it was just confusing, and Tony found himself wondering what the kid was so angry about and how it had escalated so quickly.

He had no idea how to look after a child. Whether it be a teenage one or a toddler one, he didn't know how to look after children.

"I'll go away when you tell me what's wrong. Screaming about it isn't going to help you know."

Peter stared at him for a few seconds, before his eyes filled up even more and his chest was beginning to shake. He was angry. No, more than that. The kid was furious. His anger was adding onto Tony's, making the whole situation a whole lot worse. When Tony looked right into the kid's eyes, all he saw a child's eyes. They weren't those knowing ones that Peter had had the entire day, they were the eyes of a child who was about to crack it.

And that's exactly what Peter did.

The kid lost it. He started crying especially louder, slumping onto the floor with an especially loud wail, his head in his hands. God, Tony was not prepared for this. He had never been prepared for this. He wasn't meant to be a father. Fuck.

Was he panicking? He didn't really know anymore. But with Peter's especially loud sobbing and Rhodey's words Tony couldn't even hope to understand, he lost it, too.

"I can't do this." He snapped, the words coming out a lot harsher and louder than he could have ever expected. But once he started, he couldn't stop, and he found himself craving the sweet taste of alcohol. "I can't fucking do this."

He hadn't really noticed that Peter's cries had lessened in volume, and he hadn't noticed Rhodey trying to calm him down. He didn't notice anything, because he couldn't do this anymore and he was angry.

"I'm going go find a fucking solution, because I can't do this. I can't look after a toddler." Tony knew he was talking a lot harsher than he should have been, but right at that moment he couldn't care less. He couldn't look after Peter, he couldn't change his diapers or cook him food because that wasn't a Tony Stark thing to do.

Tony Stark didn't know how to look after children, Tony Stark could barely look after himself. He had an AI who reminded him to do things, he lost his friends and teammates from all the mistakes he created. Ultron, the Accords, everything. Tony was a Stark, and Stark's always tended to mess things up, didn't they?

Howard never cared for him, Tony didn't have a childhood. He didn't want to ruin Peter's second one. Tony couldn't hug and cuddle Peter like he was his father, because he wasn't. Peter had his Aunt May, and his Aunt should be the one to look after Peter. Tony would just end up damaging him, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to handle it if he did.

"I'm calling your Aunt." That was the last thing Tony said before he turned around, forcing his legs to take him out of the room. He refused to look back and see Peter's and Rhodey's faces, he refused to show them the tears that were beginning to well in his eyes. Tony Stark didn't cry.

Well, more so, Tony Stark didn't cry in front of other people. Starks were made of iron, isn't that what Howard always told him?

Once he reached his lab, he collapsed onto his desk where all the tests for Peter were being held. He refused to let his tears fall as he looked over everything, clenching and unclenching his fists every so often. His mind was running a million miles an hour, trying to intrude his thoughts with the image of Peter's young face. God.

He wasn't fit for the fatherly roll. He wasn't fit for anything in the parent category.

He yanked his phone out of his pocket, scrolling through until he found May Parker's contact. His thumb hovered over the call button, shaking rapidly along with the rest of his hand. He looked at it for a couple of seconds before groaning, slamming his phone on the desk and turning it off. He couldn't do that to Peter, no matter how angry he was.

"Sir, if I may interrupt..."

"What is it?" He didn't mean to snap, he really didn't, but his mouth just seemed to be running on it's own accord.

"I have thought to look at the visuals inside of young Peter's suit from Karen." Tony paused, his eyes widening. Was he that fucking stupid? They could have looked at the recordings from Peter's suit this entire time, why hadn't he thought of that? Was he a fucking idiot? (Yes, he was.) "I think you would want to see this, Sir."

Tony froze, not liking the tone of his AI's voice. "Bring it up."

It was under a second before the recording appeared in front of Tony's face, the anger in his stomach ceasing for a few moments as he watched the video displayed in front of him. It started with Peter helping a young girl from being attacked inside of that same alleyway Tony had found him inside, feeling a strange surge of pride through his chest when he saved the girl. Though, after Peter had webbed the man to the wall and let the girl leave unharmed, the attacker began to transform.

Tony wished he never saw what came next.

The webs melted around the body as the ominous green glow melted over the figure, gold and green armour taking the attacker's dirty, ragged clothes place. The anger Tony felt when he saw the face of the God was sudden, his chest heaving up and down in heavy breathes as he listened to Peter and Loki interact.

Then, without warning, the visual exploded in green light before cutting off. 

He sat there, panting for a few seconds, his mind alight with fury. 

Then, he grabbed the closed thing to him, which seemed to be a box of tools, and hurled it across the lab with a crash. "FUCK!"

He hardly listened as the tools clattered on the ground all around his workshop, burying his head in his hands in defeat as FRIDAY tried to talk to him. Of fucking course it had been Loki. Peter would have actually been a child when Loki invaded New York, and most likely didn't know what the God looked like or who the hell he was. Of fucking course Loki would have done this to Tony, of all people. The bastard disguised himself as an attacker to lure Peter in, hadn't he?

But why Peter? Where the fuck was Thor?

To make his matters even better, said God's were not on Earth. Now his life was so much better. Jesus Christ, the last Tony heard, Loki was dead. Again. 

"Fri, what am I supposed to do?" He asked his AI in despair, trying to keep those annoying tears inside of his eyelids as he pushed all thoughts of Loki away. "Thor isn't here, Bruce isn't here, we have no idea where that bastard Loki is. How am I supposed to get the kid back to normal? How am I supposed to get Loki to reverse it?"

"I am unsure of a way to reverse the spell without Loki, sir. This is far out of my programming. Young Peter's blood appears to be completely normal."

Tony groaned, continuing to bury his head in his hands as he slumped against the desk. "What is Peter doing right now?"

"Colonel Rhodes is currently trying to calm Peter down. It seems to be that young Peter experienced a panic attack shortly after your departure. I assume he is feeling guilt for making you displeased." This caused Tony to burrow deeper, hoping that he could somehow escape his problems if he hid deep enough in his arms. "I suspect that due to young Peter's regression, he is experiencing child-like tendencies."

This made Tony look up. "Is it damaging his health? His brain?"

"All his vitals appear to be normal, Sir." FRIDAY replied, her tone calming. "I am sure there is nothing to be worrying about as of yet."

"Thank God." The word God just reminded him of what Loki had done to his kid, anger burning deep within his chest. "Fri, call all possible connections to Thor and ask him to get his ass down here."

"I will try, Boss."

He buried his head back in his hands, screaming as loud and as brutally as he could. 

This was never supposed to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i got the recording from peter's suit idea from a comment, which ended up in me changing most of the entire plot, which then fit in with the later chapters i was writing. what i originally had didn't make any sense, but when i saw the comment, it really boosted my inspiration and lead to me changing a lot of things to make it flow better! so whoever posted that comment, thanks! (sorry, i can't remember who it was).
> 
> anyways.. loki?


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm about halfway through chapter 15 at the moment, and i'm pretty sure this story might be around 20 chapters long?
> 
> anywayssss this chapter isn't that good, i edited it a bit but it still isn't great. anyways, i'm going pretty well with later chapters, so i'm certain i'll be able to finish this fic. (unlike all the other long fics ive started and never finished)
> 
> enjoy!

Tony didn't know how long he had kept himself holed up inside of his lab, frequently telling FRIDAY that he did not want an update on Peter, and didn't want to know anything about how the kid was going or what he was doing. He busied himself with the nanotech upgrade of his suit, ignoring the hollow feeling in his gut as he worked his problems away. A few times he went to call May, but always wussed out of it before pressing the call button. He couldn't do that to Peter just yet, no matter how much he wanted him to stay away at that very moment.

The more he thought about the kid, the worse he felt for snapping and leaving him with Rhodey. He had no idea what the hell went on with the kid when he started screaming at the top of his lungs, which was definitely not the teenager inside of him acting. Or, it could be, if Peter had some explosive anger that Tony had never known about. If FRIDAY was right, and he was having childish tendencies, maybe that was just the toddler acting out in him. More so, an angry teenager morphing into a angry toddler. Which was, of course, a shit show. 

The more he thought about that, the more his head hurt and the more he wanted to kill Loki painfully and very, very slowly. How was he supposed to tell Peter that the same God, who had almost annihilated New York with his army of aliens, had de-aged him? How was he supposed to give him a solution when there was none? How long would he have to be a toddler for before Thor returned to Earth, if he ever returned to Earth? There was also the fact that Thor may be unable to track Loki down, which means that Peter could be stuck as a child forever.

Jesus Christ. This was doing his head in. Who knows, he's probably overreacting. There's no one around to tell him that, and his only company was his bots. They beeped quietly around him, handing him things when he asked, patting his arm in a way of comforting him. Comforting for what, he had no idea.

He returned to his upgrade, fiddling with the same components he started with hours ago. Really, he wasn't getting anything done, he was just using it as an excuse to be away from Peter and Rhodey, who were definitely still in the same building as him if FRIDAY was trying to give him updates. He was sure Rhodey would be pestering his AI to either tell him what's going on with Peter, or, trying to break into the lab. Which he definitely could, because Tony hadn't enforced the Lockdown Protocol, so he must be holding back.

Just as he was thinking about how Rhodey could possibly be doing with a toddler Peter Parker, and reasons why he hadn't come to see him yet, there was a knock on the lab's glass window. He swivelled around in his chair, instantly chewing on his lip when he spotted his best friend. Rhodey was looking at him with disapproving eyes, and it only took Tony another few seconds to realise that there was someone else with him. 

Standing by Rhodey's legs, was Peter. He was looking through the glass at him, his big eyes red staring at him, hand in Rhodey's. Dread filled Tony's stomach. He didn't want to know if the kid had been crying for the last however many hours Tony had been hiding. He didn't what to know that he was probably the one who caused those tears. No, he was definitely the one who had caused those tears.

Tony really wished time travel was possible. If de-aging was possible, why wasn't time travel? He could have gone back and fixed this before it even happened, and everything would have been fine and dandy. "Fri, how long have I been in here for?"

"Two days, sir." Tony choked on the spit he had been swallowing, coughing rougly. Two days!? 

"Let them in." Rhodey could have used the pin pad to open the door, but of course, he seemed to want Tony to do everything.

The door slid open, Rhodey immediately moving over Peter and pushed the sliding door open faster than FRIDAY had been operating it. Tony watched as Rhodey nudged the kid to move, Peter almost tripping as he shuffled forward on his tiny feet. The kid was in different clothes, now in little pants that looked like a kid version of sweats, and a blue t-shirt with a rocket on it. He was barefoot, the StarkPad hooked under his arm as he continued to move in Tony's direction. Tony could also see the puffed out part of Peter's pants, indicating that the kid was still wearing a diaper. God, if he was wearing the same one he had been when they fought... No. Rhodey wouldn't let that happen.

Tony was a fucking dumbass. He knew that much.

He could feel himself panicking, knowing that he had been the one to make Peter cry. He ignored the panic, fiddling with the screwdriver that had somehow made it's way into his hands since the arrival of Peter and Rhodey. 

Peter looked unsure. His tiny brown eyes were darting around the room, occasionally stopping on Tony before flicking away. When the kid finally reached him, he slumped down onto the floor with his legs out in front of him, the StarkPad in his lap. Tony looked up at Rhodey, who was staring at him with such an intense glare that Tony had to look away. When Peter wasn't there, Rhodey was going to kill him. Tony was a dead man as soon as Peter was out of sight.

He moved his eyes back to said kid, who had switched on the StarkPad and was typing with one finger. After what felt like years of watching Peter type with that one, minuscule index finger, the kid held the tablet up to him.

Tony took it, turning slightly to set it on his desk. In the notes section of the StarkPad, Peter had typed out a few sentences. 

_im sorry, mr. stark. i dont know why i did that_

Tony glanced at Peter, who was staring at him with wide eyes. Tony looked back to the tablet.

_if u called may, thats ok. i dont want u to feel forced to look after me_

Tony suspected that the poor grammar was due to the fact that it would be taking Peter longer to type with two hands, so he was restricted to one. Peter was typing to him because he couldn't speak as good as he could before, and this only sent Tony into more panic. What if he never got the teenage Peter Parker back? 

If it had actually been two days, and no one had told May where Peter was...

_i dont know why i threw a tantrum like a baby, i wasnt really thinking_

FRIDAY was right, wasn't she?

_sorry for screaming at u_

Tony looked back at Peter, who was now looking away. He could see the kid's hands trembling, and Tony suspected he was crying. Again. He glanced up at Rhodey, whose eyes had softened slightly. He must've known this was what Peter was going to do. 

Tony sighed, laying the tablet down flat. He ran a hand over his face, trying to compose himself before talking to Peter. He swivelled back in his chair, facing Peter completely. "Kid."

Peter looked up, and Tony's suspicions were correct, despite how much he was wishing for them to be false. Peter was crying. There was once again that childlike look in his eye, and Tony hated the fact that this had happened to them. Why couldn't it have happened to some stranger? Why couldn't Loki have targeted someone else? Loki could have targeted fucking Steve. He could have made that bastard into a toddler, but instead, he turned his kid into one. Out of all people, the one who least deserved it received the brunt of year-long grudges.

"Okay, I'll admit. This is weird." Tony began, already knowing it was insensitive. He heard Rhodey sigh, but he continued before the man could intervene. "How could it not be? You were fifteen just a few hours- days ago, and now you're two. It's bizarre."

Peter gestured for the tablet, grabby hands reaching up in the direction of the device. Tony handed it to him, chewing his lip as Peter began typing with one finger once again. After a minute or so, the tablet was being handed back to him.

_are u mad at me for ruining ur bed and floor bc im sorry i didnt mean it_

Tony's heart did a... thing. "No. Of course not. That's not your fault."

Peter nodded once, not gesturing for the tablet a second time. Tony took this as an indication to continue talking.

"I'm not mad, and I didn't call May. Not yet." Tony could see the relief play out on Peter's face for a split second before it turned to horror. "But this is way out of my league, kid, I'm sure you knew that after.. yeah."

Peter didn't react, so he continued. "And I know it's embarrassing. You must be terrified. But we need to tell May, kid. If it's really been two days-" He looked to Rhodey, who gave him a disappointed nod. "We need to tell her. She'll be worrying about you."

Peter stared at him, a calculating look on his face. He nodded when he came to some conclusion, his fingers inching their way up to his lower lip. With the other, he gestured for the tablet with clenching and unclenching fingers. Tony handed it to him, glancing up at Rhodey when Peter was looking away. The man now had an unreadable expression on his face, though he was still staring at Tony dead in the eye. Tony felt uncomfortable underneath that look, especially that he didn't know what it meant.

He looked back down when Peter was nudging his knee with the StarkPad.

_have u found a way to make me big again_

Tony's breath hitched.

"Um.." Tony looked away, not wanting to look into the kid's hopeful eyes. He ended up meeting Rhodey's for the umpteenth time, the man's eyes now as wide as saucers with horror. It looked as if Rhodey were expecting him to have a solution, too. Two days, and Tony had nothing. "Kid, I'm really sorry. I looked into the recordings from your suit, or well, FRIDAY did. Um.."

Peter stared up at him with wide, but still hopeful, eyes. Tony immediately wanted to strangle himself. He was a coward for hiding down in his lab for two days when Peter needed him, even after their little explosion of tempers. At least he hadn't resorted to alcohol, right? Even though he had been close.

"You remember the attack on New York, yes?" Tony's voice was wavering. Tony Stark's voice never wavered. After Peter's tiny nod, he continued. "Do you remember anyone called Loki?"

Peter nodded again, the colour completely draining from his face. Tony didn't have to say anything else, because Peter had figured it out. It was silent for a while, Tony trying not to look away from the despair on the child's face. Peter's face. And once again, of course, it was because of Tony.

"Jesus, kid, I hate seeing you cry. Especially when you're so small." Tony suddenly broke out, opening his arms before he even thought about what he was doing. "Come here."

Peter looked up at him for a few seconds, before slowly, he pushed himself off of the ground and edged his way over to Tony, once again, unsure. His chest was shaking, the tears running down his face like a waterfall when he reached Tony's legs, looking up at him with uncertainty. Now, Tony couldn't take it back, and despite the heaviness in his chest, he placed his arms under Peter's armpits and lifted him into his lap.

It was strange, and after two days of not doing this is was even weirder, but Tony couldn't think about that now.

Peter curled against him, much like he had the night before when Tony had found him, his thumb moving into his mouth as silent tears leaked from his eyes. "Sorry, Pete. Until Thor comes back to Earth, there's no way we'll be able to find that bastard. I'm so sorry. I have FRIDAY trying to contact everyone who knows Thor. I'm trying."

Peter only hiccuped, pressing the side of his head into Tony's collarbone. Tony spared yet another look over to Rhodey, whose eyes were now resembling sadness, but there was still an angry hint to them. Tony's chest felt like it was caving in, though he forced himself to pay no mind to it as he held Peter tightly. He was lost at what to do, resting his cheek on Peter's forehead as his eyes, once again, made their way to his best friend's. He raised his eyes when he noticed something Rhodey was holding in his direction, which was undoubtedly the pacifier Tony had been carrying around in it's package.

He nodded once, deciding that fuck it. If Peter spat it out, he spat it out, and that was that. Tony didn't know how he felt about the kid continuously sucking on his thumb and other fingers, and he knew that even if Peter spat out the pacifier, he would still end up with some finger in his mouth. 

He used one hand to grab it, before moving to take the kid's thumb out of his mouth. Tony saw the exact moment where Peter readied himself to cry out, though before he could, he gently shoved the nipple of the pacifier into his mouth and held his breath. 

Peter's eyes were wide, almost comical. His hitched breaths and hiccups stopped as he tried looking at what was in his mouth, resulting in becoming cross-eyed. There was a few more moments of tense silence before Peter relaxed, not spitting out the object. Was that another win for Tony?

After Peter was all cried out, the kid fell asleep, right there in Tony's lap. Rhodey chose that exact moment to start talking, Tony not looking to see his expression. "What the hell were you thinking? Two days. Two days!"

"Please, Rhodey, not now." Tony sighed, using his free hand to rub at his eyes. "I know it was shitty. I didn't even realise, actually."

"Oh, it was shitty. Yelling at a kid because he's having a meltdown and then hiding from him for two days?"

"He wasn't the only one having a meltdown. I didn't realise how long I was here for..."

Rhodey sighed, moving closer to Tony. "I know this is hard on both of you. But you can't yell at him like that because he's confused. He had three panic attacks because he thought you were mad at him. He didn't want Happy or me to take care of him, he wanted you. I can't believe you left a kid in my hands, Tones. I was meant to be out of the country yesterday. Do you understand the excuse I had to make to be able to stay here?"

"I don't know what else to tell you." Tony mumbled, pressing his cheek a little closer to Peter's forehead. "This is hard, alright? And finding out that the same alien that ransacked New York, threw me out a window and almost had me floating around in space turned my kid into a baby? Yeah, this is so fucking easy, Rhodey, forgive me for freaking out. FRIDAY never told me the time or day. I lost track of time trying to figure out something to fix this!"

"Your kid?" Rhodey asked, eyebrows raised, seeming to completely ignore everything else Tony had just said. 

"Oh for fuck's sake, you know what I mean." Tony's mood had turned sour, now, and he was slightly terrified he was going to wake up Peter because of it. "Give me a break."

"Look. I know you've never dreamed of something like this happening." 

"Why would I? Are you serious?"

"Jesus, Tony. I know. Just don't take it out on Peter, alright? He's worse off than you. He's also relying on you."

Tony's eyes narrowed, and he felt himself bringing Peter slightly closer to him. Peter shifted, Tony peering down in horror that the kid had woken up. But his eyes were still closed, finally a look of calm on his face as the pacifier occasionally moved in his mouth. He looked back up at Rhodey, making sure to put as much menace into his glare as possible. "You don't think I know that already? You know I have no idea how to handle babies. I guess I'm on the lucky side because he remembers everything!"

Rhodey's expression faltered, and this caused Tony's interest to spike. 

"What? What was that look for?"

Rhodey sighed. "Well, since you left me looking after the kid for the last few days, I had time to observe him." Tony stared at him, beginning to chew on his lip without really realising it. "He's very much the teenage Peter Parker, yeah. But he has moments." 

"Moments? Are you really just going to leave it at that?"

"I'm getting there. Be quiet." Rhodey snapped, running a hand down his face. "It was like the tantrum he pulled that set you off. He acts like a toddler sometimes." 

Tony knew that already. "Yeah. But how bad is it?"

"He zones out. He cries." Rhodey lists before rolling his eyes. "You'll figure it out soon enough."

"How am I supposed to do this?" Tony snapped while still keeping his voice down. "I have no parenting skills, you've made that much obvious."

"That's not what I meant." Rhodey replied, sighing once again, looking as though he were getting ready to hurl himself off a building. "Howard wasn't a very good father, and I think we can both agree on that. It doesn't mean you will be, too."

Tony just raised his eyebrows. "Peter isn't mine."

"Yes, I know that." Rhodey closed his eyes for a few seconds, seemingly over the conversation. "But I'm just saying. It looks like he's going to be like this for a while, and you're going to have to get yourself together to help him through it. And you'll have to tell his Aunt something, because she's definitely going to be worried right now. We'll be lucky if she hasn't filed a missing person's report."

"What am I supposed to tell her?"

"The truth.. And if she wants to look after him, that's another thing off your shoulders, isn't it?"

Tony frowned. Rhodey raised his eyebrows. "I thought you would want this to be out of your hands? You've already cracked once, so I thought..."

"I don't know what I think." 

"Even if you want to keep Peter with you until you find Thor and Loki, you have to tell his Aunt. He is in her custody, so if she wants to take care of him, you have to let her."

Tony felt the glare returning. "I'm not going to hide him away from his own Aunt. Is that really who you think I am? Maybe this is why Cap and the others hate me so much. Even though all that wasn't really my fault... well..."

"Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall. Tony, for God's sake, that is not what I meant." Rhodey seemed exasperated now, wiping a hand down his face before crossing his arms. "I'm just saying, you need to let his Aunt know what is happening. This has nothing to do with Steve or the others."

Tony's heart convulsed at Steve's name, a whirlpool of guilt swirling away in his gut. "Whatever. I'll call her. Now."

"Right." Rhodey seemed unsure. "Do you want me to put him in bed?"

"No. I'll do it." Tony was whispering now, the anger beginning to fade. "He'll probably wake up and start crying again."

"And you don't like seeing him cry?"

"Nope."

"What time is it?"

"Seven thirty. PM."

Tony looked away. A hand rested on his shoulder, causing Tony to look up and his friend. Whatever anger and disappointment that had been on Rhodey's face moments before was gone, and there was his comforting and consoling best friend looking down at him. "Call her."

"Yep."

And with that, Rhodey was gone.

Tony sat there for a few moments, listening to Peter's breathing as he swivelled around in his chair, now facing his desk and reaching out for his phone. He opened it up, it already being on May's contact from the last time he had tried to call her, which had obviously been two days ago. Almost three. Without hesitation this time, pressing call, hoping the woman wasn't at work and would pick up.

There was only two rings before May's voice was erupting in his ear, making him jump. He pause for a few seconds, waiting to see if Peter would wake up, but the kid didn't even flinch. "Tony? What is it? Where's Peter? Is he okay?"

"Whoa, alright." Tony exhaled, his mind running a million miles an hour as questions were said. "Peter is with me. He's okay, but we have a situation..."

"What do you mean? Situation?" May sounded like she was rushing and also worried. "Spit it out, Tony. He's been gone for two days. I was just about to file a missing person's report, because he's never stayed out as Spider-Man for that long. I just thought- I don't know what I thought, but please, tell me what the hell is going on. I thought he would come home, but it's been so long now."

"Peter was on patrol a few nights ago, you were aware?" Tony asked, event though he already knew that was true.

"Yes. He let me know before he left." Tony smiled slightly, but then it faded.

"Well, during his patrol, something may have happened. He's not hurt, but.. alien technology got to him somehow." Tony thought it was better off that May didn't know it had been Loki who de-aged her nephew. He'd rather keep his head, thank you very much. "Peter's currently a two-year-old, and has been with me since."

There was complete silence on the other end of the phone. "May? You still there?"

"You can't be serious." May sounded horrified. Tony felt her horror. "A two-year-old? Did I hear you right? Is that even possible? No, that's not possible. Please tell me you're joking, Tony."

"Yeah, you heard me. It shouldn't be possible." Tony whispered, sparing another glance down to the said two-year-old. "He's with me now. He's asleep."

"I don't understand." May replied, now sounding on edge. "Peter's.. No. You're playing a prank on me, aren't you? Did Peter put you up to this to get me back for something? Is he hiding from me on purpose?"

"This isn't a prank. I'm sorry. I found him like this, and he's been here ever since. He's had... he's had three accidents since then, so I've put him in.. diapers." God, it sounded weird to say out loud, and he wasn't even sure what had gone on for the last two days. He knew it was better off that she didn't know about his emotional breakdown. "I'm sorry, May, but this is real."

"I'm coming to see him." May said right after he finished, her voice sure. "I'm coming to see him first thing tomorrow. Please don't tell me you're at the Compound."

"Yep."

"Okay. Alright. I'll be there sometime tonight."

"I'll make sure security knows you're coming. I'll have Happy drive you."

"Thanks."

Then, she hung up on him without another word.

Tony sighed, leaning back in his chair with Peter still secured in his arms. He couldn't help but feel sad. May was going to take Peter away while he tried to figure out a way to contact Thor to drag in Loki, and there was no way he was going to be able to figure out how to get the kid changed back into a teenager within a week. There was no way he was going to find a cure within a month.

He was screwed, and he hated the fact that he didn't want Peter to be out of his sight.

Only a few hours ago, he was having a meltdown because he couldn't do this and he wanted Peter gone. Now, he didn't want to let him go.

He really was turning into a sap, wasn't he?

He groaned, staring at his abandoned tech on the desk.

He was definitely screwed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next chapter will be up in a few more days, feedback is always appreciated :)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really have nothing to say but i love writing about baby peter. it's so cute.
> 
> enjoy this chapter i guess, idk how i feel about it

Peter slept through the whole night. Tony didn't.

He stayed on his private floor, refusing the urge to drink or continue to hide away in his safe place. Rhodey was nowhere to be seen the entire night, which was understandable. Normal people slept at this time. Tony had figured out a long time that he wasn't a normal person, and didn't sleep at normal person times. Or, at all. It was when the clock hit seven in the morning that FRIDAY alerted him that Peter was awakening, and appeared to be in distress.

He stood from his crease in the couch, switching off the TV he really hadn't been paying attention to the entire time he had been sitting there. His bladder was begging for release, and had been for the last few hours, but he never had enough willpower to get himself off of the couch and in the direction of a bathroom.

He made his way down the hall, his hands in his pockets as panic gripped at his heart. May was visiting today. He didn't know why he was so nervous for her arrival, whether it be from his poor attempt at caring for Peter or that he had let this happen. Or, he was just sleep deprived and wasn't thinking straight. Maybe it was a combination of all three.

He waited a few seconds outside of Peter's bedroom door, unsure if he really wanted to go inside and attempt to comfort the kid. He leant his forehead on the door, sighing at the cool sensation on his warm forehead. It was soothing, and he ended up not moving for a few seconds as he let himself cool down a little.

"Boss?" FRIDAY's voice interrupted his thoughts, sealing his decision for him. He hesitated slightly before opening the door, his heart convulsing in his chest when he saw Peter. 

It was much like the night that Peter had wet the bed, his small body sitting up and shaking as he looked over to Tony. His face was streaked with tears, his hair matted down with what seemed to be sweat, and overall the scene in front of him was harrowing. He slowly moved over to the bed, kneeling down, mirroring his efforts from that night as Peter watched his every move with terrified eyes. 

"What's wrong?" He asked, the panic in his chest electrifying when Peter reached out for him. It took him a few seconds of hesitation for Tony to reach out and pick the kid up, leaning back so he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, Peter in his lap. It really wasn't the ideal position for him to be sitting in, but there was really no other options. Peter wrapped one arm around his neck, the other clenching a good amount of Tony's shirt in his hand, right where the arc reactor used to be. Tony couldn't contain the shiver that shot down his spin, ignoring the look on Peter's face when he did so. "Did you have a nightmare?"

Peter nodded, eyes distant. He wasn't looking at Tony anymore. 

Tony sighed, using the pad of his thumb to wipe the tears away. Just behind Peter's head, he could see the pacifier sitting on the bed, causing him to reach out and grab it. When he offered it to Peter, the kid shook his head, and Tony placed it onto the bedside table instead, definitely not wanting to force him. Peter was fidgeting, his face scrunching up as more tears filled his eyes. Tony was completely, and utterly, confused by the behaviour, and it felt like he had been reverted back to day one. 

"What's wrong?" He asked a second time, ignoring the uncomfortableness circulating around his body. Since Peter's two day break of being away from Tony, he felt like something had shifted inside him. Before, he had been doing okay at looking after the kid. But now, he felt even more clueless than before, and he had no idea how to even talk to or comfort Peter anymore. These thoughts scared him a lot, and he had no idea how he was going to cope when May turned up. "Peter, please talk to me. I don't know how to help if you don't talk to me. I think it's something we need to establish so everything doesn't.. explode again."

Tony had a feeling that he might explode again, no matter how hard he tried. That's just how he was.

It must have been something in Tony's voice, but Peter's head whipped back in his direction, his eyes huge and trusting. Tony tried not to cringe, holding the eye contact with the kid, almost seeing the gears turning inside of his head as the tears ran down his cheeks. The more Tony looked, the more he saw a child, and the less he saw a teen. Was this what Rhodey had been talking about?

Then, without saying anything, Peter reached down to his waist and tugged at the part of the diaper that was sticking out of his sweatpants. At first, Tony had no idea what that meant, and he was left sitting there for a few seconds trying to work it out, taking the time to feel bad for not changing the kid into pyjamas. Peter watched him, the tip of his index finger beginning to disappear into his mouth as more and more tears began to well up in his eyes, seemingly filling more the longer Tony sat in silence.

When Peter fidgeted in his lap and scrunched up his face for a second time, it clicked.

Oh.

"Oh, shit." Tony exclaimed without thinking, the realisation pretty much smacking him in the face. "Oh, God, kid, I'm sorry." 

"It's 'kay." Peter mumbled, speaking for the first time, that childish look gone once again.

Tony thought it was freaky. He wished Bruce were here, he would have known how to figure this out, even if he said that he wasn't that type of doctor. Bruce would've known how to look after a child better than Tony would. Hell, even Rogers would be able to. He always tended to be a mother hen. He almost wished Clint were here, he had children. He would've been a good caretaker for Peter up until now.

Tony pushed these thoughts away for later, somehow getting his legs under him from his cross-legged position, and stood up. He situated Peter so he was on his hip, holding him with one arm as he turned around. He paused, for some reason, feeling completely at loss once again. He was clueless. "Did Rhodey do this for you while I was.. um..?"

"Yes." Peter whispered, his voice so tiny and scared as he cut Tony off from whatever he was going to say, which he really didn't know what that was. Tony began hating himself even more than he had before, internally cursing his mind for thinking hiding down in his lab was a good idea when he had a de-aged teenager in his care. He also cursed his ability to be unable to register how much time was actually passing down there. To him, it felt like merely two hours. Not two days. 

"Where'd he do it?" Tony asked, searching the room for any of the supplies that had been bought. There was nothing out of the ordinary in Peter's room, so it had to be somewhere else. "In the bathroom?"

Peter nodded. 

Tony took himself and Peter out of the room, ignoring how tired he was actually feeling. He needed to have a coffee as soon as he was done with this. He took Peter to the same bathroom he had changed him in before, his eyes almost falling out of his head when there was a literal changing table in there. Yes, Tony had seen that in it's box, but he hadn't really been planning to get it out. Suddenly, the panic was back, and Peter was clinging onto him as if he hated it as much as he did.

"Did Rhodey do this?" Tony asked as he moved closer to the contraption, eyeing it. "How did he even assemble this?" 

"Happy helped." Peter replied, and Tony almost laughed, despite everything. That would have been a sight. "Funny."

"I bet it was." Tony replied, though he didn't smile. "I wish I was there to see it."

There was an uncomfortable silence after that, and Tony took that time to lay Peter down on the changing table. Peter didn't fight him, and just laid there was Tony searched the room for everything he needed, staring at the roof with a helpless look. It took him a solid five minutes to find everything, and soon, he was pulling down Peter's pants in order to get to the diaper. He went off everything he remembered from the first time, pushing his discomfort with the situation far down as he undid the straps, pulling the thing out from under Peter within seconds. 

No one would ever know how grateful Tony was that the diaper had nothing but piss in it. He had no idea how he would react if it was the other...

He discarded the soiled diaper in the bin, which had miraculously appeared in the room, before going to apply another diaper. He was stopped by FRIDAY.

"Sir, I recommend you wipe young Peter down." She supplied, making both Tony and Peter burn deep shades of red. "He is at risk of getting a rash."

Tony sighed, looking around the bathroom for something he could use. It was then when FRIDAY interrupted him again.

"On the sink's bench."

Tony looked, and of course, there was a packet of wipes right in front of him in plain sight. He reached over and grabbed the packet, already pulling out a few before beginning to wipe Peter down. None of them said anything, Tony ignoring every ounce of horror in his body as he cleaned all around Peter's front and back, hoping he had done a good enough job that he wouldn't get a rash. He didn't want to make the situation worse than it had to be, and he didn't want to cause himself or Peter anymore pain. 

He then applied cream and baby powder, like he had done the first time, before finally putting on another diaper. He was stopped by FRIDAY for a third time.

"It's backwards again, Boss."

Tony grumbled under his breath, turning it around and lifting Peter up. Within seconds, it was over, and Peter was clean and covered up. Tony sighed in relief, washing his hands before lifting Peter up into his arms. Peter was now just in the small t-shirt and diaper, and Tony couldn't help but think the sight was utterly adorable. Peter didn't complain about his lack of clothing, so Tony didn't put him back down. Before he knew it, they were in the kitchen, trying to decide over something to eat. Peter hadn't left Tony's arms. 

"What did Rhodey feed you?" Tony wondered out loud, looking through his cabinets. 

"Banana." Peter spoke up after a few seconds, his voice so quiet that Tony almost didn't hear him. "Fruit."

"You want fruit?" Tony asked, looking over to the fruit bowl, which had been stocked up. That thing hadn't been filled for ages, and he knew that Rhodey must have been the one to re-stock it. When Peter nodded, he headed over to the bench and sat Peter down on it. "You can sit here while I make us breakfast."

He hadn't made breakfast for a long time, and he was almost glad that the kid only wanted fruit.

He grabbed two bananas and two apples from the fruit bowl, placing them on two plates before moving over to the fridge. He couldn't just serve Peter with a banana and an apple, there had to be something else somewhere. Yeah, he had no idea about nutritional food and such because he hardly ate himself, but there had to be something else for Peter. He had no idea if his fast metabolism was a thing when he was in this condition, but it was better to be safe than sorry. He would have to ask Rhodey.

He was beginning to wish he didn't hide in his lab for those two days. It appeared to be that he had missed out on a lot.

He grabbed a packet of strawberries and a carton of milk. If the kid wanted more, he could have toast or something. It was when he deposited the objects on the bench when he realised something.

He hadn't even told Peter that May was coming.

He looked over to the kid, who was still sitting where he had left him, swinging his short legs back and forth, each foot hitting the cupboard underneath. Peter wasn't looking at him, his head down and thumb lodged in his mouth. Tony sighed, running a hand down his face before he began setting everything out, grabbing a knife from the drawer before peeling the banana.

Never, had he felt so domestic in his life. Though, he remembered Jarvis used to do this for him.

He cut up the banana, and then the apple, and then the strawberries. He grabbed the plate once he was finishing, grabbing Peter from the counter and bringing him over to the table. He set Peter in the chair with the booster seat, which Rhodey would have definitely put there, before setting the plate in front of him. Peter began eating immediately, mumbling a small thank you as he began chewing on a slice of apple. 

Tony sighed, turning away and grabbing his own food. He poured them both a glass of milk, the thought of a bottle or sippy cup never crossing his mind until he sat down across from Peter. He wasn't really sure if Peter could hold the cup up by himself, but he supposed that if he needed help, Tony would help him. Right?

They ate in silence, Tony finishing much quicker than Peter, currently wondering how he was going to tell Peter about his Aunt.

He decided that he was going to wing it.

As he did with everything. "Uh, Pete?"

Peter stopped chewing on a piece of strawberry, looking at him with questioning eyes. Tony inhaled sharply, suddenly feeling intimidated underneath the kid's stare, feeling at loss of what to say. He ignored all of his intruding thoughts as he took a sip of his milk, not really liking the taste. He had never really liked milk by itself, and he was really craving coffee right now. But that would have to wait until later. "I don't know how else to say this, but May's coming over."

Peter gawked, the strawberry falling from his hand and onto the table. "N-now?"

"Yeah. Soon." Tony sighed, suddenly feeling terrible. "I called her last night. She was worried. She's coming to see how you are, and possibly take you home. She'd be a lot better at looking after you than I am, don't you think, Petey?"

Peter didn't answer, but a look passed across his face. It was so fast that Tony could have missed it, but it was a sad look. Tony wasn't sure what to think of that expression.

After a few minutes of staring at each other in silence, Peter returned to his food, wiping his still-teary face with his other hand. Tony watched as strawberry smeared across the kid's cheek, mixing with the tears, almost cringing when he did the same to his other cheek. There were two almost identical smears of red on both of Peter's cheeks, and Tony began searching the room for some tissues or paper towel.

You would think Tony would know where everything is, since he lived there. But, if he was honest, he was hardly up here. He was usually in his lab, working, until Pepper dragged him out and forced him to eat or sleep or to just sit with her for a while. If it wasn't for Pepper, he would be dead by now. Surely. Rhodey did the same thing when he was off work, and even Happy did. Now, that Tony had a literal kid under the same roof as him, and he felt he would be spending more time up on his floor than in his lab. If Peter stayed with him, that was. 

He couldn't help but feel put off by that, but when he looked at Peter's younger face, he wiped it away immediately. He would have to get used to it until someone figures out a way to haul Thor's ass down to Earth. He had no idea how long that could possibly take.

"Sir, Mr. Hogan would like to inform you that he is almost at the Compound with May Parker."

Tony sighed, standing from the table to grab a box of tissues. He didn't see Peter's reaction to the news, and when he looked back at the kid, he was eating the bananas as if he were unbothered by the whole ordeal. Tony grabbed the tissues, making his way around the table and into the chair beside him. At the same moment, Peter pushed the empty plate away from him and reached for the glass.

Tony watched as Peter struggled to lift the cup to his lips, frowning when he almost spilled it all down his front. "Um.. what did you use when I was..."

"Sippy cup." Peter's cheeks burned red. Tony nodded to himself, mumbling the words under his breath over and over as he once again went back to the cabinets, opening every single one until he found the one filled with supplies for Peter. There were several sippy cups, Tony smirking to himself as he picked up an Iron Man one. Within seconds, he was back at the table, pouring the milk from the cup to the sippy cup. 

He poured as much as the child's cup would allow before screwing the top closed, nudging it in Peter's direction. The kid took it with flaming cheeks, sticking the spout in his mouth before tipping the cup upwards. Tony couldn't help but gawk at himself as he began wiping Peter's tear and strawberry stained cheeks, chewing on the inside of his cheek as he did so. It was almost as if his body was working on autopilot, giving that he still felt horrendously confused.

He ignored those thoughts, much like all the others, making sure he wiped all the substances away before screwing up the tissue. 

"Alright, come on." Tony said as he stood up, not bothering to clean up the plates or tissues. That could wait for later. He watched Peter slide off the chair, his cup still in his mouth as he shuffled over to Tony. He grabbed the cup still half-full with milk incase Peter wanted it, leading the kid with a hand on his head into the living room. Tony swore he almost went into cardiac arrest when he saw the state of the place.

The toys that had been bought for them were all over the place. On the floor, on the couches, on the coffee table. There was a lot of lego.

"You had fun while I was gone, didn't you?" Tony mumbled, letting Peter get onto the couch. "If I stand on one of these-" He picked up a piece of lego. "You're dead."

Peter giggled.

_He giggled._

Tony ignored the way his heart flared from the sound, placing the lego piece on the coffee table before observing the kid once again. He was still smiling, all tears and crying forgotten all of a sudden, his eyes huge and childish. 

Tony sat down beside him. "So." He looked back to the kid, who had the sippy cup back in his mouth. "What did you do while I was gone?"

And just like that, the childish facade fell away, and that knowing look came back into the kid's eyes. His smile dropped, but not completely, as he took the cup out of his mouth. He had a thoughtful look on his face, looking away from Tony and seemingly at the mess of a living room. Jesus, Tony hated that. He hated how it seemed Peter had two separate head spaces, and it was plainly freaky that he was switching between both. "Not much."

"Not much." Tony repeated, eyeing the mess. "Then how did my living room turn into a playground?"

He caught little Peter's mischievous grin. "'ot bored. Whodey told me 'o."

"Hm." Tony hummed, almost jumping six feat in the air when the lift chimed behind them, interrupting their conversation. "Looks like your Aunt's here, kiddie."

Tony craned his neck, looking over the back of the couch as May came storming into the room, stopping for a few seconds with wide eyes as she took in the state of the living room. Happy did the exact same thing when he came in a few seconds after, before glaring at Tony. Tony stared at his friend with a blank expression before looking over to May.

"Where's Peter?" She asked, her voice worried. Peter began shifting upon her voice, the sippy cup dropping from his hands as he turned around in the couch. Tony watched as he peaked over the cushion to look at his Aunt, his entire face lighting up. Tony couldn't help but think it was cute. "Oh my God."

Tony watched as May rounded the couch, horror written all over her face as she sat down next to Peter. She sat down very slow, her eyes wide behind her glasses as she took the sight of Peter in. Tony bowed his head, looking away from the stare she gave him soon afterwards, suddenly feeling even more terrible than he already did. Maybe it would be better off if May looked after Peter, she raised the kid. She knew how to be a parent much more than he did.

Tony rolled his eyes at himself, immediately trying to wash away the annoying and angsty thoughts as he watched May and Peter interact. Peter had gotten into her lap and was hugging her, as though his previous worries were completely forgotten. May still looked absolutely horrified, though there was a soft look in her eye at the same time. 

Tony left a few minutes after May arrived. He moved around the couch and in the direction of Happy, who was glaring him down. Tony felt he wouldn't like what was coming, and decided on trying to dodge the man, who just stepped in front of him with a hard glare on his face. "Really, Tony? You hid from the kid for two days?"

"Please, Happy, not now." Tony sighed, guilt already chewing away at his heart. Happy said nothing and let him pass with a sigh, Tony's feet already taking him in the direction of the lift. He knew he was heading to the lab, he knew he shouldn't. But he didn't want to intrude on Peter and May.

He stepped into the lift when the doors were opened. "Lab."

FRIDAY obeyed without objection.

Then, he was back in the lab, sitting at his desk with numerous holograms in front of him, all taken up with possible connections to Thor. He had been looking at them for the entire time he had been hiding for those two days, after figuring out that he couldn't create a serum that could reverse Loki's magic fuckery. His eyes paused over Jane Foster, vaguely remembering the woman. Thor's girlfriend, he thought?

He moved her picture away from the others in a separate group, before looking through some others. He already had Darcy Lewis and Erik Selvig.

The next picture that caught his attention was Stephen Strange. Or more so, Doctor Strange.

Tony stared at the picture. Wizard. Another one who fucks with magic.

He stared longer, before huffing and tossing the profile in with Jane's. The wizard looked like a right fucktard, but he supposed he could give it a try. Maybe he could reverse Loki's spell.

Tony leaned back, sighing. "Fri, how's Peter?"

"Young Peter seems content." FRIDAY replied instantly, as if she were waiting for Tony to ask. "He is currently conversing with May Parker."

"Should I go back up there?" He asked his AI, leaning back as far as his chair would let him.

"I suggest you do so. Young Peter seems to relax more in your presence."

"Hm." Tony hummed, frowning. "Fine. Give Foster a call for me, would you?"

"Of course, Boss."

And, he went back. Instead of hiding, he went back upstairs.

He sat in the living room with them, watching as Peter aimlessly built with Legos, May helping him. He turned on the TV, zoning out Peter and May's quiet chatter until someone set a hand on his shoulder. He looked up, eyes raising when he realised it was Rhodey. He looked guilty.

"What've you done, Platypus?" He asked, smiling slightly. Rhodey rolled his eyes, though it seemed half-hearted.

"I have to go." Tony's heart dropped slightly. "Sorry, Tones."

"Don't worry about it. I'll be fine without you, Honey Bear." Rhodey rolled his eyes again. "Careful, keep doing that and they'll get stuck there."

"Bye, Tony." Rhodey smiled at him. "You'll be fine."

Tony nodded, now feeling as if he were the half hearted one. "Yep."

Rhodey leant down and gave him a hug. It was a little awkward positioning over the back of the couch, and Tony had to reach backwards, but that was okay. Rhodey rested his chin on the top of his head for a few seconds, before pulling back and clapping his shoulder. "See you soon."

"Bye."

Tony looked back to the TV, watching the characters interact for the rest of the time that May was there. It was only really an hour or so before she sat beside him, Peter in her lap. He was looking at Tony, his eyes holding something that he couldn't really figure out. So, instead, he looked at May. 

"I'm going to take him home with me." She began, and Tony had to pretend that his heart hadn't fallen. He wanted Peter to go, right? "And don't worry about supplies, I'll buy them myself."

Tony was left speechless for a few seconds, which was new for him. He was never speechless. "Okay. That's fine."

She smiled, her smile warm and caring. Peter was damn lucky to have such a kind woman as his Aunt. "Is there any way you can get him back to normal yet? I never took care of him when he was a toddler. Ben and I got him when he was six."

Tony cringed. He knew the fate of Peter's parents. "I'm working on it. Trust me, I'll have something."

She smiled again. "Thank you. Thank you for taking care of him, even if you didn't tell me straight away..." Her smile went restricted and firm for a few seconds, before it returned to that caring one. "At least he's safe."

"Yeah." Tony sighed, looking to Peter, who was still staring at him. There was still that look in his eye, and it took him a few moments to realise that Peter was holding onto one of his fingers with his hand, his puppy eyes boring into his head. "Alright. You'd best be off, then."

"Yeah." May replied, rubbing Peter's back. "Thanks again. I'll bring him for visits, of course."

Tony found himself smiling, but he couldn't help but feel that it was a bit forced. "Can't wait."

May patted his bicep, her smile now looking a little sad. Tony turned to Peter, who was still looking at him with wide eyes, still holding onto his finger.

"See ya, Petey. Was fun." Tony held back his cringe, and gently eased his finger from Peter's grip. 

Tony wasn't sure if that was tears in Peter's eyes or not. "Bye-bye."

Tony couldn't help ruffling the kid's hair, smiling a little sadly.

Then, before he knew it, Peter was gone, and Tony was left with all of the child equipment he had ordered. He stared at his mess of a living room, elbows on knees and chin in hands, feeling a little downcast all of a sudden. He was alone now, since Happy was driving May and Peter home, and he couldn't help but feel lonely all of a sudden. Which was unusual, since he spent days in his lab by himself. Of course with the company of his bots and FRIDAY, and he had always been okay with that.

He went back down to his lab. He slumped at his desk, leaning over the table and resting his head in his arms, closing his eyes. 

He hadn't meant to fall asleep, he really didn't.

But he was just so overwhelmed with emotions and sleep deprivation that he couldn't push it away any longer.

He fell into a spiral of his own night terrors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback is appreciated :)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay so i did post this before but the dates glitched and it made me confused, so, i'm posting it again
> 
> i was meant to post this before the new year but i got busy and forgot about it, so, heh. i had it as a draft ready to post, and when i did post it didn't have the right date.
> 
> also, some of the comments made me laugh so hard ngl, and i'm glad you're invested in the story. some of you also got it spot on ;)
> 
> this story is turning out a lot longer than i originally expected.
> 
> enjoy

Tony didn't get rid of the things that had been ordered for Peter.

He had spent the last few days in his lab, calling countless people who were rumoured to have a connection to Thor. He had managed to get through to Jane Foster, who had told him that she couldn't contact Thor anymore after they broke up. Tony had almost lost it at her, he had almost yelled at her, but he kept himself composed. He had no idea why he had been so angry at the time, but he found himself ignoring it as he listened to people tell him over and over that they did not know how to get Thor back down to Earth, or that they didn't want to.

Now, about a week and a half since May took Peter home with her, he had no solution and one more contact left. Of course, it was the Wizard. Tony fucking hated magic.

He already had FRIDAY contacting the doctor when his own, personal phone began ringing, Tony groaning and slamming his head down on his desk. He was exhausted, and his fourteen hour sleep after Peter went home did nothing to help. It made him feel even groggier, and he was hardly running off of the coffee now. He knew it was unhealthy to sleep for fourteen hours at once.. but who was he to care?

He ignored his phone, dragging his head of the desk to look at his notes. Well, note. There was only one sentence there.

_Call Doctor Stephen Strange._

Disgusting.

He rolled his eyes at the image of Strange, pushing it away from his vision and 'accidentally' into the trash. There was a one in ten chance that Strange would know how to get Thor down here, or, that he could reverse Loki's spell. Despite how much he knew he would despise the guy, he had to go through with it for Peter. If he couldn't do anything, Tony had no idea what they would do next. Either sit around and wait for Thor to clamber down to Earth, or, somehow get to Asgard. Which was probably very unlikely.

His phone began ringing again as he was scolding DUM-E and U for slacking on their chores, his eyes rolling into the back of his head for a second time as he looked over to the small device on the table beside the entrance to the lab. It was vibrating on the table, about to fall off the edge from the small movements. He almost hoped it did, so it broke, and whoever it was wouldn't be able to call him anymore.

He ignored it for a second time, resuming his scolding of his bots, rubbing a hand down his face when they scooted over to him, apologetically patting his arm and hand with their claws in a way of saying sorry to him. "Yeah, yeah, it's fine, go on."

They rolled away from him, and he resumed his staring at the blue holograms surrounding him, courtesy of FRIDAY. He busied himself with modifying some of his nanotech, chewing his cheek as he did so. "Fri, music up."

Within seconds, AC/DC was blaring through the lab's speakers as he played with ideas for his suit, Peter's suit, and pretty much anything that could keep his mind busy. FRIDAY hadn't notified him wiht a suitable connection with Strange yet, and Tony didn't know how he felt about that. So instead of thinking about it, he busied himself with fiddling, and eventually found himself modifying one of his older, and destroyed, suits. The one he had fought Steve with, and for some reason, had kept.

He sighed, vaguely remembering the flip phone inside of his bedside drawer, before pushing that thought away too. He didn't want, or need, to think about Steve right now, and he definitely didn't need to use that stupid phone. Pepper had found the flip phone once, and asked him why he had it and whose it was. He never gave her an answer, and she had placed it back in the bedside drawer like she had never seen it.

She would be back in around three days. Tony was glad, but at the same time, he wasn't. He would have to explain everything that had happened to Peter, and why he was contacting Wizards. Pepper would want to know what he was up to, and she adored Peter. He was going to get completely murdered by her, no matter what lie he fed her. First, he would die for the lie, and then he would die because of what he let happen to Peter. He was also supposed to meet her in Malibu, since they both had free schedules, but Tony was beginning to feel uncomfortable about the idea of leaving New York right now.

He ignored those thoughts along with the rest, poking at the smashed and long out-of-action Arc Reactor, almost jumping six feat in the air when someone tapped on his shoulder. That someone was DUM-E, who was holding his phone in his claw. The screen was on, and it was ringing, again. Tony almost told his bot to take it away and maybe throw it in the trash, but when he read the contact name, he threw those thoughts away immediately.

"Fri, music off." He snapped, a little unkindly, nodding once when she did as he ordered. He took the phone from DUM-E's claw. "Thanks." His bot beeped happily at him.

Tony answered the call, raising the phone to his ear as he stared down at his destroyed suit. It was missing it's helmet. "Hello?"

"Hey Tony." May's nice voice filtered into his ear from the other end, sounding kind of relieved that he had picked up. "Sorry for calling so much, I understand you're a busy man of course, but this is kind of urgent. I'm asking for a favour?"

Tony didn't reply for a few seconds, unsure how to answer. "That's alright. What is it?"

"Have you figured out a way to get Peter back to normal yet?" She asked, her voice not sounding unkind. She sounded worried. That did nothing to cease Tony's own concern, which was beginning to swell up in his chest. That, along with the intense feeling of guilt.

He sighed. "I'm sorry. I've been trying since you took him home. I haven't figured anything out yet."

There was a beat of silence. "Okay."

"I'm sorry." Tony repeated, still prodding at the smashed Arc Reactor that he hadn't had the heart to take out of the suit. He winced when a part of it broke away and fell onto the lab floor, cracking into little pieces when it hit the surface. "I'm trying everything I can."

"It's okay." She replied, still not sounding angry. Why was she not angry? Tony would be if his nephew got de-aged by a New York destructing, magical God. "I'm not angry. But anyways, back to the favour. I fully understand if you don't want to do it, I can look into someone else if you're too busy."

"Does it have to do with Peter?" Tony asked, chewing on his lip anxiously as he waited. When he didn't get an immediate reply, he spoke again. "How's he going?"

"He's going fine, physically. I don't think he's very happy, though." Tony's eyebrows raised slightly. "As you already know, I work double shifts."

"Yes." Tony replied, silently egging her to keep talking.

"I have to keep having babysitters to come look after him, since he can't exactly function normally anymore, and I can't leave him by himself. I also need to earn money. He hates all of them, and he hates being treated like a toddler. Even though sometimes I think he doesn't." May continued, her voice becoming more and more lathered with concern and sadness. "I don't like leaving him with the babysitters, and I can't leave him with Ned, because he doesn't even know his best friend is a toddler. I keep having to tell him Peter is sick, and it's their last week of school before summer break. I don't know what else to say."

Tony began to think he knew what her favour was, and he also couldn't help but feel bad for Peter's friend, too. And all the school Peter was missing out on. 

"He also keeps asking for you. He misses you, I think. He has nightmares and he wakes up asking for you. It takes hours for him to calm down, Tony, and even then he's still not happy." Tony's jaw fell slack. Someone missing him was something he hadn't heard before, and he would have rather not known about the kid's nightmares. "But anyways, I think it would be better if you took care of him until you figure out how to get him back to a teenager? I understand you're busy, and you don't have to, but I know he would like you more than the babysitters." She laughed, but it sounded strained.

Tony smiled slightly, but it faded as fast as it came. "Of course."

Another beat of silence. "Really?"

"Of course." Tony repeated, sitting back on his knees, dropping the screwdriver onto the floor. "Anything for Peter. I can come with Happy to pick him up as soon as you would like. I could even take him to Malibu. It's safer there than the Compound, and I have a lab there too. FRIDAY operates the house there, also. Pepper will be joining me in a few days."

"That would be good." Tony swore he could hear May's gentle smile. "You were prepared for this, were you?"

Tony paused. He wasn't, not at all. He hadn't even realised what he had said until he thought back over it. Had he really just said yes? He had been making split-second decisions without even thinking them through, running his hand down his face with a sigh. When he didn't answer, May continued speaking. 

"You can pick him up tomorrow morning before my shift." She continued, her voice sounding a little less distressed now. 

"What's he doing now?" Tony asked out of genuine curiosity. He was getting pretty good at ignoring the flutter of his heart when he realised Peter was coming back, but there was also that lingering thought of screwing everything up again. With Pepper coming home soon, he had no idea how he was going to explain the toddler to her. He knew very well that they were meant to be going to Malibu a few days after she returned for a small break, and she would be confused to know that he had gone earlier. She'd be even more horrified when she found out why.

He was fucking screwed, and that was that.

"He's sleeping. He didn't have a very good day." A sigh. "He told me he misses you and Spider-Man."

Tony found himself smiling very slightly again. "Can't wait to see him."

He paled when he realised what he said. "He can't wait to see you, too."

"Does he know I'm picking him up?" Tony found himself asking, looking away from his battered suit. 

"Not yet. I'll tell him when he wakes up." May replied. "Well, I better let you go now. See you tomorrow? Around eight?"

"Yeah. Sure." Tony accepted, spinning his screwdriver on the floor. "See you then."

"Bye, Tony. Thanks for everything." 

She hung up.

Tony didn't move for a few minutes, finding himself staring at his bots, who had once again drifted off their chores and were playing with each other, beeping happily in their corner of the lab. Tony didn't have the heart to tell them off again, so he pretended he didn't see.

He resumed fiddling with his suit, for who knows how long, ignoring his aching heart. No matter how much he would deny it to other people, he missed his friends. He missed Steve and the others, and no matter how much he wanted it to be false, he did. After plenty more hours of tearing his already destroyed suit apart, he stood up and left his lab.

And he did something he would have never expected from himself.

He went into his room, unprompted by Pepper unlike other times, and laid down. He stared up at the roof, thinking about what the next few days could bring. FRIDAY still hadn't gotten through to Strange, and Tony was desperately hoping that Thor would randomly appear on Earth just so he didn't have to encounter another narcissist like him. If Thor could just come back, it would make Tony and Peter's lives a lot easier. 

Somehow, this thought sent him to sleep, and for once, he didn't have a nightmare.

It felt like he had been asleep for barely ten minutes when FRIDAY was interrupting his rest, causing him to groan and turn his face into the pillow. He almost managed to fall back into dreamland when her voice became louder, making him jump. "Sir, I suggest you wake and get ready. It is seven-thirty in the morning, and you agreed to pick up young Parker at eight. Mr. Hogan has already been informed and is waiting for you in the garage."

Shit. He had completely forgotten. Had he really agreed to taking Peter back into his care? 

Why had he done that?

He was still as clueless as before. He knew that, so why did he agree?

All these thoughts filtered through his mind as he launched himself off of his bed, quickly getting dressed into the first clothes he saw and sped into the kitchen, quickly downing a coffee before snacking on a banana. He paused when he went past his living room, not having cleaned it up at all. All of the stuff he had got for Peter was still strewn across the place, and he knew the changing table and such would still be in the bathroom they had used. If they were going to Malibu, he would have to get all this stuff flown over. Or, he could buy all new stuff.

Buying new stuff sounded better.

He began making his way down to the garage, ignoring anyone who tried to talk to him as he rushed over to Happy. Happy, in turn, had an unimpressed look on his face as he watched Tony hurry over, begrudgingly opening the door for him so Tony could get into the car. Tony thanked the man, sliding into the front seat, glancing into the back. He gaped when he saw the carseat.

Happy soon got into the car, and was driving off before Tony could say anything. "Why are you always so unprepared?"

"I'm sorry!" Tony exclaimed, running a hand down his face. His eyes were still droopy. "I slept in."

Silence. "You slept."

Tony became sheepish. "Yes."

"Well, good for you, Tony." Happy actually sounded impressed for once. Tony didn't answer, staring out the win-shield as they made their way to Queens. They didn't speak for the entire time up until they reached the city, and were almost at Peter and May's apartment. "You missed the kid, didn't you?"

Tony grumbled. Happy scoffed and answered for him. "Yep. You did."

He didn't answer, his heart pounding when the now familiar apartment building came into their sights. It wasn't long before he was getting out the car and slipping his sunglasses on, realising with a start that he was wearing the most unpresentable clothes he possibly could. He ignored the though and hurried into the building before anyone could recognise him, Happy walking behind him as they went up the stairs. 

Tony wanted to turn around once they reached the Parker's apartment door. He glanced at his watch. Twenty-five minutes late.

Oops.

"Are you going to knock?" Happy asked when Tony just stared at the door. "Tony?"

"Yeah, yeah." Tony grumbled, closing his fist and raising it. "Don't get your panties in a twist."

He could feel Happy's glare on the back of his head as he rapped his knuckles on the wood, turning around for a split second to smirk at the Head of Security. Happy scoffed, once again. They waited outside the door in silence as they waited for it to open, Tony picking at the hem of his shirt as he listened for any signs inside of the apartment. His breath hitched when he heard footsteps coming their way.

Before he could turn away and run, the door was swinging open, and he was faced with the warm smile of May Parker. He plastered a fake smile on his face to mask his insecurities, which he had become very good at over the years, and unconsciously searched for the two-feet-tall Peter Parker. He had to blink twice when he spotted the kid peering around May's leg, his eyes as huge as they had been since Tony last saw him. 

He looked exactly the same. Not bigger, not smaller, not older. He was still the same, miniature Peter Parker he had found in the alleyway in his tiny spider suit. He hadn't really known what he was expecting, or if he was even expecting anything. He guessed he had been hoping for an age difference to show that he would age back as the spell wore off, but there seemed to be no such luck.

So, instead of thinking any harder, he knelt down to Peter's level. He had to chew the inside of his cheek to keep himself from smiling when he noticed the Spider-Man shirt he was wearing, along with the pacifier in his mouth that were the same colours as Tony's Iron Man suits. "Hey, Pete."

Peter shuffled around, his eyes uncertain and a little dreary, as if he had just woken up. Tony felt the same way. 

What he wasn't expecting next was for Peter to reach for him with clenching and unclenching fists, the universal sign for wanting to be picked up. Tony shoved his own discomfort into the back of his mind as he complied, lifting Peter up into his arms and onto his hip. Tony moved more into the apartment as he did so, upon May's beckoning, hearing Happy following behind him. She closed the door after them, Tony feeling more grateful at the fact that they had less of a chance of being seen now. He began to wonder what their neighbours thought of Peter's crying, if he cried that loud. Or cried at all. 

Peter was staring at him, one arm wrapping around Tony's neck. Then, the kid smiled at him from behind the pacifier, and right then he knew he was looking at the toddler side of Peter. It was a goofy little grin, and Tony found himself smiling back after momentarily forgetting where they were and who they were with.

"I packed a little bag for him." May spoke up, dragging Tony's attention away from Peter and to the tiny Spider-Man backpack May was holding. "He got attached to a few things while he was here."

Tony nodded, grabbing the bag with his free hand and slinging it over his shoulder. He didn't miss Happy's smirk, and Tony knew that he must look strange right now. Tony looked around the apartment at the few children's things they had there, including a high chair and a lot of toys. He met May's stare, faltering when he saw the look on her face. "What is it?"

"I didn't tell you this over the phone yesterday." She began, her eyes flicking to Peter. "He's been acting a lot more like his physical age than mental age right now. I could tell when we got home last week that he was switching between both, but he seems to be in his physical age a lot more over the last few days. He still remembers everything, I think."

Tony's heart was pounding, glancing to Peter, already knowing the childish gleam in his eyes was there. It was exactly like what he had seen when Peter was staying with him. He would have to get FRIDAY to check him out when they got back to the Compound, to make sure his brain was doing okay. If it wasn't, he had no idea what he would do... "He was doing that when he was with me, too."

May nodded a few times. "You're taking him to Malibu?"

"Yeah, as soon as possible. Pepper will be joining me in a few days."

May smiled. She and Pepper got along very well, and the two of them together was terrifying sometimes. "Does she know about Peter?"

Tony sighed. "Not yet." May's smile fell a little. "I'll tell her before she arrives, I'll make sure of it."

"Good." May replied, grinning behind her glasses. "You'd best be off if you want to leave soon."

"Are you sure you want me to take care of him?" Tony asked, suddenly feeling guilty. It felt like he was stealing Peter away from May, and he didn't like that feeling. "You could come with us. I can give you some m-"

"No." May snapped, cutting him off and shaking her head. "No. It's okay. I know he's in safe and capable hands."

Tony wasn't so sure about that, but he masked that thought with a slight smile. "Alright."

"'ony." Peter mumbled in his ear, a tiny hand clenching his shirt. Tony looked to Peter, who still looked completely out of it.

"Yeah, that's me." Tony replied, hoisting Peter up higher on his hip so it was more comfortable. "How are you, kid?"

Peter didn't answer him, his head slumping against his shoulder. Tony couldn't help but laugh.

"Do you still have everything you need?" May asked, looking around her apartment as she spoke. "I won't need these anymore, so if you got rid of the stuff, you could take this." 

"I kept it all. Don't worry." He turned away from May's somewhat knowing smile at that. "I'll have it transported to Malibu."

"Great." May began walking back towards the door, so Tony followed her. She paused, opening and peeking out of the door, before turning around and leaving it ajar. "Alright, honey. You're going with Tony now."

Tony didn't know how to feel about the way Peter tensed. Was that a sign that he didn't want to stay with him? His thoughts were confirmed when Peter reached out for May, making grabbing motions, and Tony saw when her face crumbled slightly. Tony took him to there, all the ready to deposit the kid in May's arms when she grabbed his little hand. She reached out for the kid, also ready to take him, but then Peter squealed. He quite literally squealed in protest, and his arm tightened around Tony's neck. Now he was just confused. 

May gave him a look before smiling warmly at her nephew, kissing him on the cheek and holding his hand. "Bye sweetheart. Be good for Tony, will you?"

"Yes Aun' May." Peter merely mumbled, hugging her neck with one arm, not taking the pacifier out to talk. "Gon' 'iss 'o." God, his pronunciation was terrible. But it was also kind of cute, too. This kid was definitely turning him into a sap, it was disgusting.

"I'll miss you too, sweetie." May replied, giving him another kiss. Tony felt very out of place. When Peter looked back to Tony, his heart almost stopped. It looked like the kid was about to cry, but before he could study the look more, Peter buried his face in Tony's shoulder and wrapped both arms around his neck. May was smiling at him, before gesturing for them to go.

"Bye." Tony mumbled, nodding in her direction. Happy peeked out first, making sure the coast was clear, before nodding to Tony. He went out first, carrying Peter and the little backpack as he made his way down the stairs, making sure he didn't trip. Happy followed closely behind, and before he knew it, they were at the car.

Happy opened the back door for him, Tony awkwardly shuffling into the car so he could get Peter into the car seat. Once he was seated in the contraption, Tony was left confused. He fiddled with the straps for a while, trying to figure out which clip went where, which took him an annoyingly long time. This entire time, he didn't notice that Peter had zoned back into reality, his all-knowing eyes watching him until he looked back. "Is teen Pete with us?"

Peter nodded, though he didn't spit out the pacifier. "'ony."

"That's me." Tony repeated his earlier statement, finally getting the clip right. He sat down beside Peter, nodding at Happy to shut the door. The man did as he was told, and soon, the car was moving. Tony glanced at Peter a few minutes into their ride, smiling very slightly when he realised the kid was dozing off, the pacifier bobbing in his mouth every few seconds.

Tony sighed and leant back in his seat.

He was exhausted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did you really think i would keep tony and peter away from each other for too long? ;)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i was meant to post this earlier but then my house's wifi went out and i'm stuck on slow data.
> 
> anyways, i really enjoyed writing this chapter for some reason i have no idea, but yay me i guess?
> 
> pls read notes at the end thank u

Surprisingly, FRIDAY had already done everything for him once they arrived back at the Compound.

Now, this wasn't the first time that his AI had done things for him without his permission, obviously. Sometimes they were beneficial things, and sometimes they weren't. But this one, this one he was happy with.

A flight had already been ordered for that night and things were already being delivered, new things. Not the items he had already ordered and were strewn across his floor, completely new things. Tony was thankful for FRIDAY, who seemed to listen closely enough to know what he wanted to happen without him actually voicing it. He was glad he didn't have to do it all himself this time, and he was sort of relieved to find out that Pepper had already been notified, and would be joining him in around three more days. He had to tell her what was going on soon, and he knew his phone would be blowing up with calls from her. Luckily, FRIDAY had decided not to tell her what was going on just yet.

He let Happy lift Peter out of the car seat, the kid waking up upon being moved. He blinked a few times as he looked around, sucking on his pacifier as he did so. Tony walked ahead, Peter's backpack slung over his shoulder as the lift doors opened for him. He stepped in, Happy soon after, Peter's eyes closed again and his head on the man's shoulder. Happy glared at him, but he didn't seem as angry as he normally would.

They went up the lift in silence, Tony internally freaking out the entire way. The kid was officially in his home again, in his friend's arms and under his care. He was panicking. He had no idea how to handle this situation anymore, and he hoped he was keeping his panic successfully masked behind his blank expression. If he kept doing that, maybe he could forget about it.

Soon, the lift was opening, and they three of them were stepping out. "Take him to the couch."

Happy did as he was told, Tony following them with the little backpack. He sat down beside the Head of Security, the bag in his lap, Peter once again waking up and sitting up more, rubbing at his eyes with a closed fist. When their eyes met, Peter reached out for him with one arm, just like he had done with May. Happy didn't waste any time handing the kid over, taking the backpack into his lap instead.

Peter sat in Tony's lap, his eyes following the backpack as it moved from person to person. Tony couldn't help but push the kid's fringe away from his eyes, noting that he was beginning to need a haircut. Teen Peter had been getting pretty shaggy as well, and it was understandable that his toddler form would too. "We might need to give you a haircut. Maybe Pepper'll do it after she's done screaming at me."

"Peppo." Peter mumbled her name, reaching for the bag as he did so. Tony found himself grinning at the pronunciation of his fiancé's name, knowing that Pepper would definitely dissolve into a puddle if she heard it. He really needed to tell her what was going on.

Happy handed the kid his backpack, the two of them watching as he fumbled with the zip. After a solid three minutes of trying, he finally unzipped the bag, his tiny hands already seeping into the bag and began pulling things out. There were two books, small novels, that Peter yanked out of the bag and discarded onto the couch. He watched as the kid pulled out a few stuffed toys, his heart stopping when he saw the Iron Man one. It didn't beat for several seconds as he watched the kid cuddle it to his chest, tossing a bear aside.

His heart started beating again shortly after.

"Hey, Pete." Tony spoke up, causing the kid's attention to come back to him. "Um, did I mention to you that we're going to my Malibu house tonight?"

Peter shook his head. "Mali-o?" 

"Yeah. It's a lot safer, and bigger, and it has a lab. I'll be able to continue figuring out how to make you big again while we're there. Pepper'll be joining us in a few days, too." Tony rattled off, no longer looking at the child in his arms. "We'd also be able to go outside without people hounding us. Do you like that idea?"

Peter blinked. Tony felt his face fall slightly. "No?"

Then, Peter seemed to zone back into reality, the pacifier dropping from his mouth when his jaw fell slack. Tony watched in confusion as Peter stared at him, an inquisitive look on the kid's face as he seemed to process what Tony had said. "Yes."

"Yes? You want to?" Tony asked, shifting slightly. Peter nodded. "Okay. Good."

Silence. Tony shared a look with Happy over Peter's head, the man looking as lost as he felt. "Well, what do you want to do now? Our flight isn't until five."

Peter blinked again, sticking the tip of his finger in his mouth as he looked around. Tony wasn't going to lie, Peter was acting different. He seemed more shy, more into his toddler mindset and just different. Tony knew May hadn't gone anywhere with the toilet training issue, giving that Peter was still in diapers, feeling he disgust surge up his chest before he could stop it. That meant he would have to change diapers. He wondered how May coped with it all so easily.

Peter also seemed to be even clingier, which Tony both hated and loved at the same time. It was a confusing feeling, and he hated the way his heart fluttered when Peter cuddled the little Iron Man stuffie to his chest. May had no doubt bought that for him.

"Wegos." Peter mumbled, his eyes trained on one of the only unopened Lego sets, which sat on the coffee table. He shared another look with Happy, who was standing up, nodding once. Tony nodded back, turning his head back to where Peter was looking before setting the kid down on his two feet. He watched the kid shuffle over to the box, placing his pacifier back in his mouth before hooking the Legos box difficultly under one arm before turning to bring it back to Tony. 

"Hey, Fri?" Tony said quietly, hoping Peter didn't notice. "Scan Peter, for me? Tell me if there's anything going on that we can't see?"

"Of course." Peter didn't notice his talk with FRIDAY, letting out a yelp when the box slipped out of his grip, his entire body jumping as it tumbled onto the floor. Tony couldn't help but gape when Peter started giggling behind that damned Iron Man pacifier, squatting to pick the box back up. It was an agonisingly slow process, Tony almost reaching out to help when Peter finally got it back in his hold. He made the short walk back to Tony, plopping down in front of him on his diapered bottom before staring up at Tony. Once again, that childish gleam was there and taunting.

"What's up?" Tony asked, cringing when his voice sounded on the verge of panic. He was seriously beginning to worry that Loki's spell was actually beginning to damage the poor kid's brain. 

"Help?" Peter asked, his tiny fingers picking at the cardboard box. "Can' open."

"You want me to open it?" Tony asked, fidgeting. Peter nodded several times, the pacifier and his puppy eyes making the sight cute. Tony couldn't get over the fact that he had begun calling things cute, and that he was turning into a complete, emotional mess. He hadn't seen this kid for over a week, and he had still been feeling these weird feelings the entire time. He wouldn't dare say that he was feeling paternal, because he fucking wasn't. He definitely wasn't. "Alright, move over."

Tony was on the floor before he could comprehend it, taking the Star Wars Lego box into his hands, already picking at the tape that kept the box stubbornly closed. He cursed the creators of children's toys as he peeled away the first part of the tape, trying not to sweat at the added pressure of Peter's patient stare. Tony remembered when he wished Peter didn't remember anything and acted like a real toddler, and now, he wished anything but that. Literal toddler Peter was something he was having a hard time socialising with already, and they hadn't even been back at the Compound for an hour. 

Finally, after several long and painful minutes, he managed to open the box. He cursed under his breath when he poured the contents out, all of the Legos in individual plastic bags. Whoever decided so much packaging was a good idea should be in jail. Tony could make that happen.

Tony was extra, but he wasn't that extra.

Totally.

"They sure like to give us a hard time, don't they?" Tony muttered as he pried the plastic apart, letting the Legos pour out onto the floor. Peter didn't answer him, and Tony's eyebrows raised when he spotted Peter with his head in the instructions, sucking on the pacifier thoughtfully. "Jesus, Petey, Thor needs to get his ass back to Earth right now. Don't you think?"

Peter either didn't care, or wasn't listening, and was already grabbing pieces of Lego and putting them together. Tony focussed on emptying the last bag of Satan's creation, making a mental note to make sure that all of these Legos were either packed up or on a high surface, so his poor feet didn't have to encounter the consequences. 

"Boss, I would like to inform you that there is nothing mentally or medically wrong with Young Peter. His body and brain are completely healthy, although, I suspect some of his spider abnormalities have decreased dramatically." Tony's breath hitched, glancing at Peter. The kid was still building quietly, glancing from his little creation to the instructions every few seconds. At least he could still read. "Other than that, Young Peter is perfectly healthy, and there is no reason to worry as of yet. Anything else, Boss?"

"No, that's okay." Tony mumbled, feeling both relief and horror at the same time. If Peter lost his spider powers in this state, did that mean he would lose them as a teen, too?

He couldn't imagine Peter's reaction to that.

Thoughts like this filtered through his mind during the entire day. He helped Peter with his Star Wars Lego, uncomfortably changed his wet diaper right after before feeding him, and then changing it again a few hours later. Peter had shown no signs of being in his teen mindset the entire time, and he was beginning to know what May meant. Tony was seeing less and less of the Peter he knew as the minutes went by, but knowing that he might just be fitting the mindset of his body and giving into it, he felt a little better. There was nothing wrong with him, mentally, as FRIDAY had said. But he couldn't help but let it freak him out a little.

It was around two-thirty in the afternoon when Tony decided he should probably start packing things for himself, giving that they would be leaving for Malibu pretty soon. Now, usually, he was late to his plane, but he found himself wanting to get out of New York and the Avengers Compound as soon as possible. Much less painful reminders of his friends, and much safer locations for Peter.

He was back in the living room with Peter, who was now playing with a RC car, (not the one with the controller he had destroyed, of course). The kid had been well-behaved the entire day, and Tony found himself dreading the moment when all that fell to pieces. He could tell that Peter was tired, but when he even mentioned a nap, Peter had grumbled at him and rolled away with a pout. Tony didn't push after that, even though he knew he probably should've. That's what you were supposed to do with kids, right?

If he knew anything about children, is that they got cranky when they were tired. Much like adults, or more so, himself. Except, crankiness led to tantrums, and Tony didn't have the patience for that at all.

Instead of addressing the problem, he ignored it. Which, was something he had done his entire life.

"Hey, bud." Tony caught Peter's attention, who stopped ramming the RC car into the coffee table leg to look up at Tony. "I'm just going to pack for Malibu, yeah? You'll be alright here by yourself?"

Peter looked at him, before turning his eyes back to the controller. Tony watched the car reverse away from the table leg and straight to his foot. He merely watched the toy ram into his foot, seeing the little grin on Peter's face when he did so. "I'm guessing that's a yes?"

Peter rammed his foot again, not answering. 

"Wow, you're really full of words, aren't you?" Peter looked at him this time before poking his tongue out. "I'm going now. Tell FRIDAY if you need something."

Tony stood up, stepping over the car and Peter before making his way down the hall. He paused at the entrance to the hall when he heard something following him, his suspicions being confirmed when something rammed into his heel. He turned around, spotting Peter instantly, who had gotten onto the couch and was resting on the cushions, controller on top. He was grinning.

"Is there something you need?" Tony asked, the car ramming his big toe this time. Peter didn't answer him. "You're just messing with me, aren't ya?"

Peter giggled and disappeared from view. Tony pretended not to notice his drooping eyes and turned around making his way down the hall and to his bedroom. When he placed his hand on the doorknob, he heard it. The sound of that stupid RC car. He looked to his right, smirking when he saw the Iron Man themed car speeding down the hall, not stopping until it slammed into Tony's foot for the umpteenth time. There was a high pitched, mischievous giggle from the end of the hall, and Tony couldn't help but roll his eyes. This was new behaviour from Peter that he hadn't had the... had the pleasure to experience before.

He ignored the kid, who was peering around the wall at the end of the hall, opening his door and walking inside of his room. He left the door open, rummaging through his closet for his suitcase. He was hauling the thing onto the bed when the sound of that toy met his ears again, and of course, it was sneaking into the room and towards Tony's feet. What was with this kid's obsession with ramming his bare feet with his new favourite toy? 

He sighed when the toy connected with the side of his left foot. He glanced to the door, where Peter was peering around the corner again, giggling.

"You know I can see you." Tony spoke up as he yanked out his entire shirt drawer, shoving it into the suitcase without a second thought. He did the same with underwear, pants, and even chucked a suit in there for good measure. He was putting on his shoes when he pretended to ignore Peter's squeal when the kid disappeared behind the doorframe upon being caught. "What're you doing, anyways? Do you enjoy abusing my feet?"

There was silence as his answer, and Tony couldn't help but feel grateful for that.

He was zipping his way-too-full suitcase closed when he heard fast and heavy footsteps coming down the hall, and within seconds, Peter was speeding into his room and latching onto his leg. Tony had almost fallen over, using the bed as his support as the kid whined. Why was he whining? A second ago, he was squawking and giggling and playing with his Iron Man car. 

"What's wrong with you now?" Tony asked, looking down at the kid. He was definitely tired, and his bottom lip was pushed out in a pout, eyebrows furrowed. How he went from a cheeky, foot-ramming toddler to an aggravated one was fascinating to Tony, but he couldn't help but begin to fear what was coming next when Peter whined again. "I don't know what you're trying to tell me, kid. Use your big boy words."

Tony almost laughed at himself when those words left his mouth. 

"Don' wanna!" Peter snapped, punching his leg. Tony raised his eyebrows. "Don' wanna go on da pwane!" 

"You don't want to go on the plane." Tony deadpanned, half-heartedly attempting to shake the kid off his leg. "Why not? I thought you wanted to go to Malibu."

"Noooooooo!" Peter whined out, punching his leg again. "No!"

Tony's patience was already thinning. He sighed, bending down to detach Peter from his leg. Peter let go without a fight, surprisingly, though he was staring Tony down with a pretty impressive glare, his arms crossing over his chest when Tony sat down with him in his lap. "I don't understand your mood swings. It's very impressive."

Talking was keeping him from losing it. So far. "No pwane, 'ony." 

"That's the only way we can get there. Sorry, kiddie." Tony winced when Peter whined again, a tiny clenched fist smacking his collarbone. "Stop hitting me. I think you're a bit tired."

"NO!" Peter snapped, almost yelling, smacking him again, completely ignoring his request. "No pwane. Momma and Dada don' come back from pwane."

Tony froze. "Oh, kid."

Peter stared at him, completely unfazed by what he had just said, crossing his arms over his chest a second time. Tony pushed his fringe back, sighing when Peter moved away from his touch and pouted even more. There was definitely no teen Peter there, and Tony knew his patience was on a very, very thin thread. Though, the slight fear of what happened last time was very clear in his mind. 

"Are you scared the plane's going to fall?" Tony asked, cringing when Peter nodded, wiping at his eyes again with clenched fists. The kid was exhausted. "Petey, it's not going to fall. I promise. You're going to be completely fine. We're going to get to Malibu safe and sound, it's only four and a bit hours. Then, just a little drive, and we'll be there."

Tony had no idea where it all came from, but chewed on his lip when Peter's quivered. 

"Don' wanna." Peter then mumbled, making eye contact with Tony. "Scared."

"The plane isn't going to fall, I promise. I'll be there the whole time with you." Tony reassured, wondering how and when he had learned to reassure. Seconds ago, he was ready to snap and yell at the kid just like he had done before. "There's nothing to be worried about. I promise."

To his horror, Peter started crying. Tony had definitely jinxed himself.

Peter was continuously rubbing at his eyes and blinking, as if desperately trying to stay awake. 

"Oh, come on, please don't cry. Keep hitting me, don't cry. Come on." Tony whispered, watching helplessly as Peter began sucking on his thumb in an attempt to hush his cries, tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked at Tony with pitiful, and scared, eyes. "You're definitely tired."

"'ony 'o." Peter mumbled around his thumb, letting out another whine, or cry, Tony wasn't really sure.

"Tony yes." He replied, wiping Peter's tears away. More fell and replaced the ones he had wiped away, causing him to sigh shortly. Peter began leaning forwards, and soon, his head was resting on Tony's shoulder, crying right into Tony's ear, making him wince. He sighed, standing up, and decided to busy himself while Peter wailed in his ear. Sooner or later, the kid would fall asleep. He hoped.

"Fri, what time is it?" Tony asked, dragging his suitcase to the elevator. 

"Three o'clock exactly, sir. I suggest you arrive at your private jet at four-thirty."

"Sure." Tony mumbled, dumping his suitcase and walking back down the hallway, trying to ignore the crying that was definitely making his right ear deaf. Somehow, without even noticing, he had begun bouncing the kid. He wasn't sure if it was helping, but he continuing doing it anyways as he entered the living room, grabbing Peter's little backpack that May had brought.

He grabbed the things that had been strewn across his living room, placing everything he had seen Peter take out back in the backpack. Peter made grabbing motions for the Iron Man toy he had been cuddling earlier, Tony handing it to him hesitantly. Peter cuddled it instantly, his cries quieting slightly, his warm forehead resting on Tony's neck. It was then when Tony spotted the pacifier, abandoned on the table, instantly reaching over to grab it with hopes that it would help calm his kid down.

He offered the soother to Peter, who opened his mouth in return. Tony happily placed the pacifier in the baby's open lips, rubbing his back as the cries quietened dramatically. It was then when Tony realised how tired Peter actually was, which of course, he had completely underestimated.

The child stayed quiet as Tony gathered the rest of his things, grabbing the RC car and it's controller and putting it in the bag as well. It was four-thirty when they were leaving the Compound, Tony knowing that the plane would have to wait for him to get there. But it wasn't like that was new, was it?

Happy was glaring at him when he reached the garage, though it softened when his eyes rested on Peter. "What happened?"

"He's tired." Tony replied, letting Happy put his suitcase in the trunk. He kept Peter's backpack with him. "Had a bit of a meltdown."

Happy opened the door for him, nodding. Tony got in without another word, already placing Peter into the car seat. Peter started whining, his face scrunching up as Tony did up the straps, his eyes closing and opening rather slowly as tears began to fill them up once again. Tony wished the kid would fall asleep, because he clearly needed it, and Tony hadn't looked after him properly. Of course, it was his first day with the kid back in his care, and he was already failing.

He ignored that thought and sat back, holding Peter's hand when the boy reached for him.

He didn't let go the entire car ride to the private airport, Peter crying the entire way. Happy's eye was twitching, and Tony could see the man glancing at Peter in the mirror every few minutes,. For some reason, the crying wasn't really annoying Tony. It was hurting him, because the cries sounded so pathetic. It clearly showed them how uncomfortable Peter was feeling, and all Tony could do was hold the kid's hand.

There was nothing else he could do to comfort the child, who was clinging onto him as soon as he was freed from the carseat, the Iron Man plushie and pacifier still with him as he sobbed into Tony's shoulder. Tony started bouncing him again, ignoring Happy's stare as they walked over the tarmac, the man carrying their bags behind them.

Tony completely ignored the air hostesses, who had been sworn to complete secrecy about their transport, settling himself into a seat with Peter on his lap. The kid had finally stopped his sobbing, but was still awake, blinking tiredly at Tony. "Don' wanna. Pwease."

"I promised you, didn't I?" Tony said as Happy got settled across from them, earplugs already in. "The plane isn't going to fall."

Peter buried his face in Tony's shoulder and shivered. He didn't move or cry until the plane began to take off, beginning to sob rather hard as the plane rose off of the ground, becoming airborne. Tony shushed him, rocked him, ran his hand through his hair, everything. He just didn't stop crying, until finally, they reached a stable altitude and his ears had popped.

And finally, Peter's body began to relax with sleep, and Tony couldn't help but breathe a sigh of complete relief when the kid finally drifted, his body becoming heavy.

Happy glanced at him, sighing in relief when he noticed Peter had finally calmed down. He didn't take his earplugs out, but offered Tony a small smile. 

Tony was exhausted, too. He had been all day, and he couldn't help but relax into his chair, cradling Peter so they were both comfortable. He pretended not to notice when Peter curled into him more, his curls tickling Tony's chin as he began to doze off himself.

Somehow, against all odds, he fell asleep. He didn't let go of Peter for the entire flight.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man, i miss the malibu mansion.
> 
> AnYwAys i came up with an interesting idea to help the end climax of this fic (i hope it's a climax), and i can't wait to write it. question: how would you feel if one (or more) of the rogue avengers made an appearance later on? ;)
> 
> also, this story might range out to 25 chapters. i really enjoy writing small peter and dad tony, and i got a bit carried away. love that! 
> 
> feedback is appreciated :)
> 
> ps more drama is coming after the fluff, just thought i'd let you know xxx


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> man, writing later chapters is quite hard at the moment. so much drama i've created.
> 
> anyways, i'm uploading this a little earlier than i thought i would, since i kind of had a moment of having zero inspiration for chapter 20. i was going to hold off until i figured something out, cause i don't want to run out of chapters to post, but i had an idea and have started chapter 22. so we all good!
> 
> enjoy.

Tony woke up to the sound of someone crying.

He was confused for a few moments, blinking the grogginess away as something shook in his lap, arms wrapped around his neck and the crying right in his ear. It took him a few moments to remember where he was, the familiar face of Happy coming into his view when the blur in his eyes cleared. The man looked worried.

It took him several more moments to realise who was crying, and who was sitting in his lap, and what situation he was currently in. Peter. He realised a second later that the plane was descending.

Had he really slept the entire flight?

"Hey, Petey, it's okay." Tony whispered, his voice groggy, his brain being slow on catching up. "We're not falling. We're fine, kiddie."

Peter curled into him when hearing his voice, letting out a pitiful wail. Tony cringed. "Nooooooo, 'ony. Fallin', 'ony."

"We're not falling." Tony repeated, rubbing the kids back. "We're landing."

Peter had raised a hand to the ear that wasn't pressed into Tony's shoulder, whining loudly. Tony sighed, feeling his own ears pop soon after, though he was used to it. Peter didn't seem to be, though, and his cries only increased. Just like they had on their way up. Tony just held the kid, not speaking anymore, letting him cry it out as the plane touched down on the runway. Tony had cringed painfully when Peter screamed out in terror, probably thinking they had crashed. He quietened down seconds later when the plane began slowing, hesitantly peeking his head out of his hiding place.

"See, Peter? We didn't fall. I promised you, didn't I?" Tony mumbled, wiping away the kids tears and grabbing the pacifier that had fallen out of his mouth. "See? We're fine."

Peter accepted the pacifier, hiccuping every few seconds as he looked around the plane. When they were being taxied, Peter began tugging at his diaper, causing Tony to internally scream. He fucking hated changing the diapers. He had snaffled a few into Peter's little backpack, incase they were needed during the flight, but they had both slept through the entire thing. Tony hoped he hadn't been in a soiled diaper for too long.

When they were finally allowed off of the plane, Tony debated with what he should do. Wait until they got to the house, or in the plane's tiny bathroom?

He didn't want the kid to get a rash. 

With a sigh, he stood up, ignoring his stiff bones as he carried Peter with him. "Come on, we gotta make this quick."

Peter didn't answer, only whining when Tony laid him down in the small table in the airplane, already stripping down his pants and pulling the tabs back on the diaper. He winced when he realised the diaper had actually leaked, soaking a portion of Peter's tiny sweatpants. Tony glanced down at himself, and rolled his eyes with a groan when he saw a dark spot on his jeans. Peter had guilty eyes, but Tony ignored that.

Somehow, which was shocking to Tony, he was done within a few minutes, already hoisting Peter back onto his hip and shoving the used diaper into the small bin provided. He carried the pants with him, leaving Peter in just a diaper and shirt, slinging the backpack over his shoulder before making his way through the plane. Happy was gone, and the only person he could see was one of the air hostesses. She sent him a soft smile. He didn't smile back.

He carefully walked down the steps, almost sighing in content from the warm weather that smacked him in the face. Maybe, just maybe, they could go to the beach. Maybe.

Tony frowned when they reached the car, glancing into the backseat. There was no carseat. 

"Get in." Happy snapped, making Tony jump. His voice wasn't mean, or bored, like usual. It was worried. "There are reporters here, I don't know how they knew where you were going. Get the kid in. Now."

Tony did as he was told immediately, almost launching himself into the car and almost eating the seat cushions. Peter let out a surprised yelp when the door was slammed, his head swivelling around, looking out the window. Tony also looked out the window, also, paling when he saw the small group of reporters hovering by the airport doors with their cameras out and flashing. He hadn't even seen them when he left the plane, panic surging through his veins as he held Peter just a little bit closer. This was meant to be a private airport, what the fuck were they doing here?

"Was' goin' on?" Peter mumbled, something in his tone different. When Tony looked at him, he realised that the kid was aware of everything again. "'ony?"

"I have no idea." Tony mumbled, deciding not to mention that the teenager was back with them. "Happy, drive. Get us out of here."

Happy drove.

Tony was thankful that the windows in this car were tinted, so that both reporters couldn't see in and the police couldn't see that Peter wasn't in a carseat. It was only around half an hour before they reached his Malibu home, Tony sighing in relief when they began to make their way down the long driveway. Peter was looking out the window, his eyes wide in amazement, the teenage glow in his eyes slowly disappearing and being replaced with the toddler one. He definitely knew what May meant now. The toddler side of Peter seemed to win him over every time, and Tony began to wonder if it was easier to just give into the toddler tendencies.

"Like it?" Tony asked as they pulled up to his re-built Malibu mansion, which was significantly more durable than the last one. "Not as cool as the original, but it's cool, right?"

Peter nodded, eyes wide. Tony distractedly wiped away the drying tears from Peter's cheeks, the kid not paying him any attention as he pointed to the huge building. Whatever flicker of teen Peter was gone within seconds, and Tony was back to the child-minded version. He wasn't really sure how to deal with this situation very much anymore, and it was fairly different to when he had found him in the alleyway.

Happy opened the door for him, Tony already unbuckling himself and exiting the car. He let the man take care of bags, walking Peter over to the front door. It unlocked automatically, which told Tony that FRIDAY was now activated and aware that he was there. Since she was here, most of the Avengers Compound would be on lockdown until he returned. Only interns and workers were allowed in the building on the bottom few floors, while Tony's floor and lab and such were closed off from outside access. Not even the (Ex) Avengers were allowed in there when he was gone.

Peter had gaped when they entered the building, his pacifier falling from his mouth and landing on the floor. Tony found himself grinning, picking up the soother and keeping it in his free hand for now. He, for some reason, felt a lot more relaxed now that he was here and away from prying eyes in the Compound, and the memories of his team. Though, with the added knowledge that reporters had seen them leaving the plane, he felt like that feeling of being at ease would fall short. It already was.

He let Peter down from his arms when the kid began to fidget too much, holding his hands under his armpits for a few seconds as he got his balance. Happy clambered in after him, dumping Tony's suitcase by the front door. "Anything else you want me to do?"

"Check the news." Tony mumbled as he watched Peter toddle around, his little feet pattering on the tiled floor. "Tell me how much they saw."

"Got it." Happy replied, walking past the two of them and in the direction of the living room. Tony followed him, turning back to see Peter running after him, his eyes huge as he looked all around the mansion. It was Tony's turn to gape when he saw that his living room was filled with boxes, much like it had been at the Compound. Tony had completely forgotten about all the supplies that had been ordered. Happy was already on the couch, StarkPad in hand, scrolling threw news outlets. Tony didn't want to look just yet.

Peter, on the other hand, had sped over to the window, pressed up against the glass as he looked over the ocean. Tony couldn't help the warm feeling that spread through his body as he looked at the kid, dressed in only a t-shirt and diaper, with his face pressed up against the glass as he peered out at the ocean. It was dark, so they couldn't really see much, but it would still look amazing to a kid. Tony was in disbelief when he felt a genuine smile tug at his lips. 

It faded when Happy spoke. "You might want to see this."

Tony sighed, peering over the back of the couch. His eyes widened when he saw an older picture of the two of them, outside Peter's fucking apartment, getting into their car. Happy scrolled down, showing the pictures from just half an hour ago, of himself and Peter getting out of the plane. Tony cursed under his breath, running a hand down his face in utter exhaustion and defeat. Why couldn't people mind their own fucking business?

"Boss, I know this may not be a good time, but I have something to tell you." FRIDAY spoke up, her tone slightly worried. Tony nodded, rolling his eyes, rubbing his face a second time. "I managed to get through to Dr. Strange. He is requesting a call as of what you need to speak to him about."

Fuck. For fuck's sake.

"Tell him to wait." Tony snapped, feeling anger pool in his stomach. He glanced over at Peter, who had turned around, confusion clear on his face as he prodded his lip with the tip of his index finger. Tony looked away, refusing the urge to scream as loud as he could, kicking the back of the couch instead. "Fuck."

"You might have to call Pepper." Happy spoke up, the man also sounding a little angry himself. "She'll see this, you know."

"I know, Hap." Tony mumbled, closing his eyes for a few seconds. "I know. Fuck."

He rounded the couch, sitting down with his head in his hands. He needed to get Peter back into a teenager as soon as possible. He couldn't handle it if the press got more pictures and started speculating, like they already were. He had seen the headlines on the pages Happy had been looking at, his stomach churning with nausea as anger surged through his entire body. 

_Tony Stark holding mystery child?_

_Is Iron Man a father?_

_Who is the child seen with Iron Man, Tony Stark in Malibu, California?_

He was snapped out of his furious haze when something poked at his knee, causing him to peek through his fingers only to see the youthful face of Peter, who had childish concern written all over his small face. Tony couldn't bring himself to smile, and instead, he lifted the child into his arms and gave him a hug. He didn't know why, but it gave him some sort of comfort, which he hasn't got in a long time. It made him feel even better when Peter cuddled into his embrace, his chubby arms attempting to wrap around Tony's chest.

A hand rested on his shoulder. Happy, no doubt. The man didn't say anything, the three of them sat in silence for a few moments before Tony spoke up. "I gotta call Strange."

"Why? Isn't he like.. a Wizard?" Happy asked, hand removing from his shoulder.

"He has connections to Thor. I think." Tony mumbled, staring into the dark television screen. "He's our best chance."

"Alright. Want me to look after him?" Happy offered, holding his hands out. Tony nodded, carefully handing the kid over to his best friend. Peter didn't complain, sitting with his back against Happy's chest, sucking on his thumb. "FRIDAY, turn the TV on, please. Kid's channel."

FRIDAY complied without a word, the TV exploding in colours as some random cartoon appeared on the screen, Tony taking that as his cue to leave. He rubbed his face as he made his way to the stairs, groaning when the situation really dawned on him. May was going to kill him, and so was Pepper. He clambered down the stairs, quickly entering his code before entering his lab. A wave of nostalgia hit him as he remembered what it was like in his original lab, with his bots, when he first created his real Iron Man suit.

His bots weren't here, now. They were still back at the Compound.

He felt a little sad at that, but ignored it and sat down at his desk. "Put Strange through."

FRIDAY did as he was told, and soon, a picture of Stephen Strange was appearing in front of his face. "Mr. Stark, hello."

"Yeah, hi." Tony snapped, not really meaning to be rude, but there was something about this guy he already disliked. He ignored it for the moment, flicking through holograms about the man, before looking back at the real thing displayed in front of him. "I have a situation that you may be able to help with."

"Right." The man deadpanned, staring at him through the video. "I just heard on the news that you have a son?"

Tony's gaze narrowed. "He's not my son. He's actually what the situation is."

Strange looked at him for a few moments, before nodding once. "I need you to elaborate."

"Y'know Loki, the homicidal, whack-job brother of Thor?" Tony snapped, resisting the urge to launch all the tools of off his desk. He was angry again. He didn't wait for Strange to answer, rattling off the story before he could think twice. "Yeah, he decided to turn my kid from a healthy, growing teenager into a fucking toddler a week ago. Since magic is apparently your area of expertise, and apparently you have a connection with Thor, I thought you might be able to lend a fucking hand."

"I thought he wasn't your child?" Strange replied, completely ignoring everything Tony said. Tony glared again. "Fine. I have met the two, they came to Earth a few weeks ago looking for their father. I sent them to Norway."

"Norway." Tony deadpanned, leaning against his desk. "You sent them to fucking Norway?"

"Yes. That was where their father was located." Strange replied with a large amount of sarcasm. "I don't know where they are now or what they're doing. I was aware of Loki's presence on Earth just a about a week ago, but he was gone before I could determine it." 

"Are you telling that he came here just to de-age my intern?" Tony growled, fists clenching. "I'm going to kill that son of a bitch once he gets Peter back to normal. So, do you know how to contact Thor or not?"

Strange blinked. "I could tell you his location." Tony's hopes rose. "But I'd need a strand of his hair." They froze.

Tony gaped. "Are you fucking serious? Do you really expect me to have a strand of Thor's hair just hanging around? You can't be serious." Tony's anger was rising dangerously, as was his panic, and all he wanted to do was flip this desk and scream in Strange's holographic face. Though, somehow, he kept it at bay. "Is there really nothing else you can do?"

"I could come at check the child over." Strange replied, a blank look on his face. "If it is possible, I could reverse Loki's magic. Though it's quite unlikely, his magic is not the same as mine. But if you wish, I can come and see what I can do."

It was Tony's turn to just blink. "Fine. That's better than nothing. When?"

"Right now, if it's that urgent you would call me this late at night." Tony glanced down at his watch. It wasn't even that late. Maybe timezones were a thing, but could he really care any less at this moment? Nope. 

Strange took one look at Tony's face and sighed. "Alright." Then, he was hung up on.

Tony only had the time to scoff before there was something opening up right in his lab, his eyes widening as he called for his suit. What the fuck was that?

It was orange, and it was lighting up the whole room as it opened. Soon, it was merely an orange ring, a completely different room staring at him. It wasn't long before he realised there was a person stepping into his lab, his jaw dropping to the floor when he realised it was Strange creating this nonsense.

Tony fucking hated magic. 

"Where is he?" Strange asked without any explanation, waiting expectantly. 

"Fuck you." Tony mumbled as he turned around, making his way to the door. He made his way up the stairs, grumbling when he tripped halfway, barely catching himself before continuing. He was aware of the Wizard behind him, already testing his patience. The man wasn't even speaking and he was annoying. "In here."

Happy turned his head when he heard them coming, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion when he noticed they had a guest. 

"What's going on?" The man asked, and soon after, a little head popped up. 

"He's here to check out Peter." Tony sighed, rubbing his left eye. "Don't ask."

Tony bent over the couch to hoist Peter out of Happy's lap, who was looking uncertainly to Strange. Strange didn't even smile back, gesturing for Tony to set the kid on the floor. He did as told, feeling a bit reluctant when he stood back up, keeping his hand on the top of Peter's head. Strange knelt down, Tony watching in horror when the obnoxious cape he had been wearing literally began hovering over to Peter, poking at the kid's cheek.

Peter's eyes were so wide it was almost comical. Then, he giggled, reaching out to the cloth that dodged out of his reach, before using it's other.. arm to tickle Peter under the chin. Peter let out a loud giggle after that, shying away from the cloak as Strange began using his magic. 

It seemed as though Strange was using the cloak to distract Peter as he looked him over, Tony watching nervously as the orange glow moved over Peter's skin. It was then when true horror struck.

For a split second, green spiralled down Peter's arms and legs, preventing the orange from moving any further. Tony watched as Strange's eyebrows furrowed, trying again, only for the green glow to wash over Peter's skin once again. The kid didn't seem bothered by it, or didn't even notice, because the cloak was tickling him and causing him to giggle.

Tony had never felt more horrified in his life. What the fuck was that?

Giving that it was green, too, did not help to make him feel better. Green was Loki's colour.

"What is that?" Tony asked when it happened for a third time, kneeling down next to his kid. Strange looked troubled, lowering his hands and looked up to Tony. "Please, Strange, tell me what that was."

"It's a spell." Strange replied over Peter's high pitched giggles, before sighing. "It was made to deflect all forms of magic but it's own. I believe Loki may be the only one who knows how to reverse it."

Just like that, all Tony's hopes went down the drain. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." Strange sighed, rubbing his temples before standing up. "It's quite similar to a spell I have used before. Loki is the only one who can reverse it, and even if he were to die, the spell would not go away on it's own. I'm sorry."

Tony, strangely enough, felt like bawling his eyes out. Peter was still laughing, completely oblivious to the situation at hand.

"Thanks." Tony whispered, looking down at the kid. "Sorry for wasting your time."

"Don't worry about it." Strange replied, finally showing some form of emotion that wasn't negative. "I'd best be off, now. Wong will be wondering where I went."

Tony nodded. "Sure."

And with that, another... portal was opened up, and Strange was gone. Peter whined when the cloak was taken away from him, almost running after it if Tony had not grabbed his chubby arm. Peter began reaching up for him then, Tony quietly going through with the request, lifting the child onto his hip. Peter began pulling at his mouth, confusing Tony, making him pull his face away from the prying fingers.

"What are you doing, Peter? Trying to give me some self-done surgery?" Tony asked, ignoring how flat his voice was and the way Peter frowned. 

"Smile." Peter muttered, pulling at his lips again. Tony couldn't, and when he didn't, Peter seemed to get even sadder. Tony settled for hugging his kid, ignoring the burn in his eyes as he realised that they had lost their last, real chance of getting Peter back to normal quickly. Now, all that was left to do was wait until Thor came back. Who knows how long that was going to take. No one knew where Thor was, what he was doing, who he was with. He might not even be on Asgard. Loki was a whole other story that Tony didn't even want to begin to think about.

Strange had mentioned that the two had been together when they were sent to Norway. That of course meant Loki was definitely alive, as if Peter wasn't enough truth for that. Maybe he had done something to Thor?

Tony had a feeling Thor would not let that happen.

Tony just sighed deeply, inhaling Peter's babyish scent, his heart melting into a puddle in his chest when the kid placed a sloppy kiss on his cheek. This kid had no idea what was going on and what they had just found out, and Tony knew that was for the best. It was better if he didn't know, and he was hoping it was easier for him to stay in the toddler headspace. From what he could see, Peter was much more relaxed, and well, happy. 

"Thor will come back soon enough." Happy spoke up, once again clapping his shoulder. "He can't stay away forever, and he knows that."

"When did you become so inspirational?" Tony asked, not smiling. Happy scoffed.

Tony sent Peter to bed soon after that. To Tony's surprise, a crib had already been set up, along with a changing table and all it's necessities in one of the guest rooms. FRIDAY had directed him there, and when he had asked who had done it, she didn't specify. This made him assume that it was the people who had brought the stuff here, who would have no doubt been confused as to why as a bunch of baby stuff was being sent to Tony Stark's mansion.

Well, not anymore, because the whole fucking world now knew about Peter.

He thought about that when he laid down in his own bed that smelt like Pepper, staring up at the roof with a deep sigh. She would know now, and she would be trying to contact him. He knew she was, because FRIDAY kept reminding him. But no matter how he knew that telling her the truth was crucial, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not over the phone.

Pepper probably thought he had cheated, and the baby had resurfaced long after the affair.

This could destroy their relationship.

But what did Tony Stark do best? Destroying things.

He cried that night, and his sleep was filled with nightmares.

For some reason he had dreamt about Siberia, and Steve. Even though that was a different situation entirely.

He woke up screaming after a brutal, mind-conjured version of what could have happened, grasping at his chest for the Arc Reactor he no longer had.

Why did everything have to be so fucked up?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yeah yeah i know strange's magic is probably incorrect but do i give a shit? NOPE! please don't comment about it, i made it so it fits my story and my plot. thank you.
> 
> ALSO! when peter is trying to get tony to smile by using his hands was inspired by the movie Gifted. i love that movie so goddamn much you don't understand
> 
> feedback is appreciated!


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE. SPIDER-MAN. FAR. FROM. HOME. TRAILER.  
> WHERE IS TONY :((((((
> 
> anyways
> 
> i really enjoyed writing this chapter.
> 
> also, all your nice comments make me feel so overwhelmed. thank you so much for the time you take to send them in (especially the detailed ones) and thank you for over 500 kudos and 11,000 views!
> 
> enjoy :))

Two days had passed, and Tony had been feeling better after his hell of a night with Strange's arrival. He had recovered from his semi-mental breakdown, pushing away the guilt as he remembered that Pepper would be coming home tomorrow. She would be coming tomorrow, if she could even stand the sight of him. He wouldn't be surprised if she didn't show up, and he knew that Happy was silently judging him for not acting on it. Even Rhodey had called him, exclaiming his horror of Peter being all over the news. Jesus, he was a terrible fiancé and caregiver. He should have told the truth when Peter first turned into a toddler, and he should have made sure that the press weren't lurking around his airport before he had gotten out of the plane.

But what was he doing instead of calling Pepper and fixing his issue with the media?

He was taking Peter to the beach.

They had been stuck inside for the past two days, since Tony was trying to figure out how to recover from his little melt down and Peter was adjusting to his new living arrangements. He knew Peter had been inside all the time since he had been de-aged, and it was clear he was getting restless. That was proven when he had a full-blown tantrum over his RC car. Again.

Tony had to take a break after that. Happy had shooed him away from the screaming toddler before Tony could yell and swear, sending him down to the lab to cool off while he dealt with Peter. A few hours afterwards, Happy dumped the sobbing toddler down to his lab, just as Rhodey had done. The whole tantrum happened because the kid didn't get a nap that day.

And that was only yesterday.

Truth be told, they were both becoming restless. When Tony had mentioned the mere chance of going to the beach after the tantrum, Peter hadn't shut up about it. Tony was pretty sure that Peter had completely lost his teenage qualities by now, fully letting himself go, hence his angry little meltdown. It was almost identical to the first one, though he hadn't ripped his clothes off this time. Thankfully.

Tony had FRIDAY check the kid over again as he cooled down in the lab, just in case, and he was relieved to know that there was nothing wrong. FRIDAY had confirmed that Peter was merely adjusting to the mind he was meant to have at that age, and was having a temper tantrum because something had frustrated him. Tony would never have imagined Peter to be so hot-headed, though he knew the kid was nowhere near as sensitive as he, himself, was. Tony knows very well that he explodes at a mere inconvenience.

How he didn't tear his entire lab up after Peter's second throwing-himself-on-the-floor tantrum was beyond him. He felt a little proud of himself.

Peter still had all his memories, and when Tony had asked him how old he was, he had said fifteen. It was strange, having him act as a toddler but know he's not, and that he knows he is meant to be older. He was beginning to believe that acting his physical age was easier on his stress, and he hoped it was giving him a good break from the stresses of Spider-Man.

Tony never mentioned that he had lost most of his spider powers in his current form. He was sure the kid wouldn't notice until he went to use them, and Tony hoped he never wanted to use them. 

So, they were going okay so far. But there was still one thing that no doubt failed to tick him off.

The fucking diapers.

He didn't want to talk about when Peter did more than peed in it. That was an experience he would pay millions to forget, even though it was bound to happen again. And again. 

But now, he had Peter on the changing table, feeling strangely domestic as he rifled through the box he had dragged into the room, which was filled with new clothes. He still hadn't really bothered to take everything out, and most things were still in boxes in various rooms. He found it easier to take things out of the boxes when he needed them, rather than sorting them into their rightful places. Doing that made the situation a whole lot more real.

God, he felt weird. He hated this. But deep down, he knew he didn't completely. They had to wait for Thor to come to Earth, now, and there was nothing else they could try. He had run out of options. God, he wished Bruce was here. Even though Loki's bullshit spells prevented others from unwinding it, Bruce would've known how to cope with the child better than Tony did. Hell, he would have been able to help on the medical side of things, and it probably be a lot easier if Bruce took Peter's blood tests and not Helen.

So, the only things he really despised about this entire situation was the horrendous tantrums and disgusting diapers.

Not that he was fine with everything else, but the other things were easier. Like feeding the kid and bathing him. Even playing with him wasn't as time consuming as Tony would have imagined in the beginning.

He had tried to change Peter from a normal diaper to a swimming diaper as quickly as possible, and even though there was no clean up involved, he hated it. When Peter was back to a teen, if he ever went back to a teen, Tony would never stop complaining to him about this. Even if Peter didn't remember anything that happened, Tony would hold it over his head. It would also be funny to tease him about how his toddler self acted, and to remind him of all the tantrums he pulled.

"Stop moving." Tony grumbled as he taped the new diaper on, poking at Peter's stomach when he finished. The kid squealed, Tony winced from the high pitched sound, silently regretting teasing him a little with the tummy-poke. "Yeah, yeah, hold your horses. Man, teen you wasn't even this loud."

"Beach!" The kid exclaimed, kicking out, promptly kicking Tony's hand. Tony raised his eyebrows at Peter, who hadn't been nearly as excited the whole time Tony had been with him, and didn't think to scold him for kicking. He supposed it was good, that they were finally getting out of the house, but he had no idea how to feel about the press on their tail. Sure, they were going to a private beach, and Happy would be there, but who knows. "'ony, beach!"

"Yes, I know, we're going to the beach." Tony poked his stomach again. "I was the one who planned it. Calm down, it's not going anywhere."

Peter started squirming even more as soon as Tony grabbed the little board shorts, causing him to raise his eyebrows. Whenever he came near the kid with the shorts, Peter would kick out again and his face would turn frustrated, multiple high pitched whines of disapproval leaving his mouth as he tried to move away from the clothing.

"You don't want your shorts?" Tony asked, pulling the shorts away and out of sight. Peter shook his head, a crease in the middle of his eyebrows. "Alright then. You have to wear this, though." He brought up a red and blue rash top, almost grinning when he saw the pictures on it. Of course, it was Spider-Man. Peter didn't fight when Tony manipulated him into the rash top, Tony letting the toddler on the floor soon after. Peter took off, and Tony merely sighed and rubbed his temples for a few seconds.

He left the room after discarding the old diaper, washing his hands before moving down the hall. He could hear Peter's voice echoing off of the walls as he got closer, the kid definitely talking Happy's ear off. Even if the grumpy man wouldn't admit it, he had a soft spot for Peter, whether he was big or small. If Happy didn't have that soft spot, he wouldn't drive Peter around Queens almost every day.

Tony grabbed the bag he had packed the night prior and slung it over his shoulder, rolling his eyes at himself. Tony never packed things the day before any event, and always left it until ten minutes before. This kid was changing him in ways he wasn't sure he was all too happy about.

"Come on then." Tony spoke up, rising another thrilled squeal from Peter as he pretty much leapt off of the couch, his little legs moving as fast as they could until he reached Tony. He realised too late what the kid was about to do, so therefore, he almost fell over backwards when Peter slammed into his leg, clinging onto him like a koala. Sometimes, Tony missed the Peter who remembered everything, who didn't act as hyperactive as this. At least he wasn't crying, like that Peter did. "If you knock me over one day, kid.." He trailed. He didn't actually know what he would do. Probably nothing.

Peter raised his arms, bouncing on his feet impatiently when Tony took too long. He rolled his eyes again, grabbing the kid under the armpits and hoisted him into his arms. He was becoming fairly used to carrying this kid around, and he didn't feel as uncomfortable doing it anymore. That was another thing that had dropped from his 'Hate List'.

It was the fucking diapers that held him back all the time.

Happy walked ahead of them as Tony gathered himself, making sure he had everything before exiting his home. Happy had checked for reporters outside, which had definitely happened before, and thank God there weren't any that they could see. He placed Peter into the carseat that Happy had installed into their car sometime between arriving in Malibu and now, strapping him in before he could protest. Peter whined.

"It's like a five minute drive, short stuff, you'll be fine." Tony supplied, sitting back in the back seat with the whining child. Peter kicked out, his tiny, bare feet swinging around as Happy pulled away from the mansion. Tony was true to his word, it wasn't a very long drive, and soon Peter was whining again to get out of the seat once he had caught sight of the sea. Tony took his time gathering his things before grabbing the kid, who looked dangerously close to bawling his eyes out in anger, which was something Tony really didn't want. He hoped the two tantrums were a once-off, because usually he only cried when he was tired or there was actually something wrong.

Why did Tony know that?

He groaned inwardly, lifting his fidgeting kid and taking him out of the car before he could start wailing. The sun was really, really hot, and Tony couldn't help but feel like he was about to melt from standing underneath it. He carried Peter over to the sand, the kid beginning to squeal excitedly all over again when he caught sight of the water for a second time. Tony shushed him, checking back at Happy for a few seconds to see the man struggling with beach chairs and umbrella, a glare set deep on his face. Tony smirked.

When Tony found a suitable place to dump all their stuff, he placed Peter on the sand. He didn't think for a second that Peter would take off running towards the water, his heart lurching in his chest as he took off after him. He didn't have to go far, merely two large steps and he was in reach of the toddler, grabbing Peter's arm and was yanking him back maybe a little too hard.

Peter let out a loud whine, Tony even seeing him stomp his feet and try to pull away. He hadn't gotten very far, but it was still enough to send Tony into cardiac arrest. Tony knelt down to the kid's height, suddenly overcome with fear which morphed into anger.

"Peter Parker." He snapped, causing Peter's attention to snap to him immediately, any signs of fighting back disappearing from his face. "Do you understand how fucking dangerous the water is when you go by yourself? Just because you're a teen in a toddler's body, it doesn't fucking mean you can swim like you used to. Fuck, Peter, you're going to give me a heart attack. What if I didn't catch you, huh? You could have drowned."

He regretted yelling when Peter's face crumpled up and tears began running down his cheeks almost instantly, hiccuping before he began to sob. "Sowwy. S-sowwy."

"Oh, God." Tony mumbled, letting go of the kid's wrist to pull him over into a hug instead, ignoring how uncomfortable he felt with that particular action. "Sorry, I shouldn't have yelled. I overreacted, didn't I?"

Peter sobbed into his neck, Tony feeling terrible as he gently lifted him off of the ground, turning around and walking back to Happy. The man was staring at him as he set up the chairs, a little disapproving look mixed in with the blank stare as Peter continued to sob. Tony immediately sat down in one of the chairs Happy had just set up, dragging Peter's bag towards him and began rifling through it. He grabbed a tube of kid's sunscreen along with a pacifier, offering it to Peter who took it immediately. Tony sighed, apologetically wiping Peter's tears before opening the sunscreen.

"Sorry Pete." Tony apologised as he began rubbing the sunscreen on Peter's legs, the kid not fighting him. "You just scared me. You know how I feel about water."

As Tony applied the sunscreen, Peter's cries slowed down, and soon enough his eyes were dry. Tony wiped more tears away before rubbing sunscreen onto the kid's face, making sure not to get it in his eyes, nose and mouth, before putting some on the backs of his ears. He felt terrible for yelling, again, though he felt this was nowhere near as bad as last time. Peter seemed to have forgiven him, his tiny hands fisting Tony's shirt as he tried to back look at the water. When he was finished, he cautiously put his kid on the sand after placing a dark blue bucket hat on his head, fully prepared to grab him if he tried to take off again. Peter didn't move, instead sitting down and began playing with the sand.

"Don't worry about it." Happy whispered as Tony put normal sunscreen on himself, taking of his shirt. "He'll be fine."

"Hm." Tony hummed, ignoring the mental image of Howard that appeared in his mind. "Shouldn't have yelled."

Happy sighed, very, very slightly. "Don't worry about it. You were right, though."

Peter stayed in the same spot the entire time Tony took to get himself ready, ignoring the crushing feeling in his chest from where the Arc Reactor had been. He hadn't really been in water ever since Afghanistan, and even if water at the beach was different, he wouldn't be going any further than knee height. Peter definitely wasn't.

The air smelt pleasantly of sunscreen and summer as he stood up, subconsciously rubbing at his chest before reaching out to Peter. "Come on, squirt."

Peter leapt up from the sand immediately, yanking out his pacifier and placing it on top of the bag before running over to Tony, grabbing his hand. Tony smiled unsurely when he saw Happy's encouraging stare, letting Peter lead him to the water. He had expected the kid to want to go out a little further, but he merely stopped when a wave washed to shore, shying back from the water. Maybe this was as far as they would be going.

Tony found himself completely fine with that.

The kid began walking a little further, a shy smile on his face. When another small wave came in, Peter attempted to jump it, giggling. Tony couldn't help but smile at the sight. 

It continued like that for a short while, Tony merely watching as Peter tried jumping the minuscule waves, giggling the entire time, looking up at Tony for encouragement. He didn't protest when Peter let go of his hand, though he was always at the ready incase Peter decided to be stupid and run off into the deeper water. Everything was going all fine and dandy for a solid hour until Peter decided he had had enough, and was currently dragging Tony out from the ocean. Now, this wasn't the part that didn't make the calmness between them fade. It was what happened after that did.

They were in hardly any water, in Tony's opinion, and he had presumed everything would be fine until Peter tripped over nothing, falling face first into the water and his hand slipping out of Tony's. At the same time, a small amount of water from the last wave washed in, washing over Peter's tiny body, sending his cute bucket hat off of his head. Tony felt horror wash through him as he hurried to pick the child up, not caring that he was going to get himself wet as he pulled him to his chest. He grabbed the hat with his other hand, shoving it under his arm.

It all happened so quickly that Peter seemed unable to process what was going on for a second, his eyes wide and blown, sand all over his face. Then, his bottom lip began to wobble, his arms winding around Tony's neck as he pulled the kid up.

"Come on, please don't cry. You're fine." Tony mumbled frantically as he walked towards Happy, who already had a towel ready. "You're fine, you're fine, you're fine..."

Peter started wailing. Tony's heartstrings were yanked aggressively when Peter started sobbing, rubbing at his face and trying to get the sand off. Great. That makes two times of crying in just over an hour, and Tony was left feeling even more horrified. He wrapped Peter in the towel when they reached Happy, the other man using the wipes they had brought to get the sand off of the kid's face. Peter had a hand on his forehead after they were finished, his cries echoing around the otherwise silent beach.

"Does it hurt?" Tony asked, chewing on his lip when Peter nodded. The crying continued for a few more minutes before Peter finally calmed down, his huge eyes staring out at the ocean as if it had just ruined his entire life. Tony rubbed his back through the towel until Peter got too hot, sighing in relief when he began asking to be put down. 

Tony watched as Peter began looking through the bag they had brought, smiling softly when he pulled out a few beach toys. He sat there quietly, fiddling with the bucket and shovel as Tony aimlessly watched, until he decided that the kid was probably getting hungry. So, he offered some crackers and a sippy cup to the kid, and he took both. Soon after, Peter was tugging at the wet diaper around his hips, and Tony wasn't really sure if he had made use of it or that it was just uncomfortable after being drenched. He changed it reluctantly, ignoring his own annoying discomfort as Peter just laid there without a care in the world, munching on his cracker. 

Tony was going to love blackmailing Peter when he goes back to normal. Somehow, he hoped he remembered all these torturous diaper changes. 

So, once he was finished, Peter went back to making sandcastles, steadily drinking from the sippy cup until it was finished. Peter never went back in the water after the little incident, and Tony couldn't help but feel relieved. Even if the water had only been up to his ankles, it still made him feel a little uneasy. Maybe it was just the thought of somehow, impossibly getting dragged under. Or, if it was Peter who got dragged under.

Before he knew it, the day had gone by and he was back inside of the mansion, giving Peter a bath. He had given the kid plenty of baths since he had been de-aged, and he was only partially comfortable with it now. Somehow, it felt on the same level as changing the little shit's diapers every few hours. But he didn't hate it nearly as much.

Peter was quiet, his eyes drooping as he let Tony wash his hair, Tony making sure that he didn't get unnecessary water onto his face. He was done pretty quickly, already taping a diaper onto his kid before manipulating him into his pyjamas. Peter was out before he had finished, Tony replacing his thumb for a pacifier before hauling him into his arms, already heading towards the crib. He felt oddly comfortable with this part, slowly lowering the kid into the bed before pulling the covers over him. He placed Peter's favourite stuffed toy in his reach before leaving the room, flicking the light off and leaving the door ajar.

Soon, he was sitting down in his lab, staring aimlessly at the blueprints in front of him, debating with himself if he really wanted to continue creating his new nanotech suit. Sure, it would pass the time and sure, it would help him forget about his problems, but did he really want to do that? Now that he didn't have a distraction (Peter) he was left to think about Pepper and the press once again.

"Fri..." Tony trailed, leaning on his hand. "Call... call..."

"Call who, Boss?" FRIDAY prompted when he didn't say anything, causing Tony to sigh.

"Don't worry about it." He could talk to her about it when she arrived. It was easier in person. "Bring up the progress of my nanotech suit."

FRIDAY did as she was told, and away Tony went, aimlessly creating his new suit in the silence of his lab. Usually, he would have his music blasting away so loud that he could hardly hear himself think, but right now, he was content to work in silence.

He continued this for hours on end, not really sure how long he was down there until FRIDAY was telling him that Peter was awake, and seemed to be in distress. "What time is it?" 

"Eight in the morning, sir. It is Thursday." Tony cursed, rubbing his eyes. He had definitely been up all night. "Peter seems to be.. angry, Sir. I suggest you go to him before he climbs out of the crib and possibly injures himself."

That got Tony on his feet.

It didn't take him long to get to the guest room Peter was staying in, already hearing the frustrated wails through the walls and the half-open door. When he walked in, he froze for a few seconds at the sight of Peter pounding the crib's bars, his face red and tear-streaked with absolute fury. He paused when he saw Tony, glared for a second, before he started screaming all over again.

Tony was confused as fuck. 

He moved over to the crib, hesitantly, as if he were approaching a wild animal. "What's going on with you? What's got you so fired up this morning?"

Peter replied with another scream, demanding to be picked up with aggressive grabby hands. Tony complied, rather confused, letting the kid literally scream into his shoulder as he walked around the room, rubbing his back. The kid was angry, and Tony had no clue as to what the reason for his anger could be. "Come on, Petey, tell me what's got you so fired up."

Peter replied with smacking Tony's shoulder, before tugging at the part of the diaper that was sticking out of his pyjama pants. Okay. He just needed a diaper change, right?

Wrong.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the calm before the storm am i right or am i right heh heh heh ;)
> 
> also SPOILER ALERT this isn't the last time we'll see these three at the beach... 
> 
> hmu on instagram @wolvicious


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> writing the last three chapters is honestly very hard. i'm having a bit of writer's block, yet i know how i'm ending the story? it's the filler parts that have me stuck.
> 
> anyways i don't have anything else to say, so here you go :')
> 
> enjoy!!

It took Tony an embarrassingly long time to figure out why Peter was so uncomfortable. Tony cringed when the smell met his nose, turning his head away as he tried to lay Peter down onto the changing table at the same time. Peter screamed in protest, kicking his legs and trying to push himself up. This was all happening while Tony was trying to grab a clean diaper, almost going into cardiac arrest when the child almost rolled himself right off of the table.

"Jesus fucking Christ!" Tony snapped when he grabbed his kid, earning another furious scream and kicking legs the process. "Don't you want to get out of that? Isn't that why you're so angry?"

Peter didn't answer, flopping back onto the changing table with a sob. Tony rolled his eyes, already working on unbuttoning the onsie so he could get this over with as soon as possible. He wished Happy would have volunteered to do this part of the job, instead of practically disappearing every time Peter tugged on his damned diaper. Bastard.

When he had finally gotten the kid's legs out of the onsie, Peter began thrashing again, which made it increasingly hard to actually get the soiled diaper off of him. "Peter, stop. You're not making this very easy. I hate this as much as you do."

Peter replied with kicking out yet again, trying to roll himself off of the table for a second time. Tony lightly smacked one of the kid's legs, almost sighing in relief when Peter's cries were interrupted by shock and his ears had a few moments to gather themselves. Tony knew he hadn't even hit the kid very hard, and that it was merely a tap, but Peter seemed to be feeling more sensitive than usual this morning. Tony watched in slow motion as Peter's angry cries turned into sad ones, his body falling lax on the table which allowed Tony to do his job.

He got it done with as soon as possible, cringing from the smell when he untaped the diaper for the first time. He immediately slid it out and closed it, depositing it in the bin before hastily cleaning the kid up. It was painstakingly longer than he wanted it to be, the kid having created much more of a mess than he had last time, and much more of a mess than Tony had anticipated. He got the clean diaper on as soon as possible, only attempting to button up the onsie when Peter grew furious again.

Tony decided, fuck it, and simply removed the clothing off of the kid and left him in just a diaper. Peter seemed to be happy with that, well, from what Tony could see, and continued to lift Peter off of the table and attempted to hold him. Instead of cuddling into him as usual, Peter pushed him away and demanded to be let down, shaking his body so much Tony almost dropped him. He let the kid down with raised eyebrows, ignoring his own rapidly increasing anger as Peter took off out the room, his bare feet thudding all the way down the hall until Tony couldn't hear them anymore. 

He sighed, moving into the bathroom to wash his hands, taking a few moments to calm himself down by splashing water onto his warm, and very red, face. He had no idea why Peter was so touchy today, and he knew his anger levels would be beyond the top if he continued acting like that all day.

Jesus.

After a few more minutes of gathering himself, he made his way out of Peter's room and to the kitchen, where Peter currently wasn't. He could hear him yelling at Happy in the other room, not being able to understand what the hell the kid was even saying. He poured himself a coffee, ignoring the exhaustion as he downed it in two gulps, already pouring himself a second. He had a feeling he was in for a long day, and he also felt that he was forgetting something important.

He aimlessly prepared breakfast for Peter, sipping on his coffee as he poured a sippy cup filled with juice. It had fallen silent in the living room, and Tony was hoping that the kid had finally calmed down and would be his usual self again. Tony found a happy toddler easier to handle than one who screamed like the world was ending all around him.

He rubbed his eyes before picking up the plate of fruit, the sippy cup dangerously balanced on top as he held his coffee, also known as his lifeline, in the other. He dragged his feet all the way to the living room, his eyebrows raising incredibly high when he saw Peter perched in Happy's lap, glaring at the TV like it had personally offended him. His arms were crossed against his bare chest, Tony really wanting to laugh at the sight of him sitting there, pouting, dressed in only a diaper. There was a kid's cartoon playing, one Tony didn't recognise, and Peter seemed to be hating it.

Happy, comically, almost had the exact same expression on his face.

"Looks like I have two angry toddlers on my hands then." Tony muttered as he made his way over, earning a glare from Happy. Peter didn't even acknowledge him. "Kid, I made breakfast."

He nudged Peter's bicep, almost jumping when Peter's head whipped over to him. He looked so angry Tony immediately wanted to leave, knowing that if there was more screaming, he would be leaving too. He offered the plate again, sighing in relief when Peter set it in his lap, already munching of some of the banana. Tony had quickly found out that bananas were Peter's favourite, so most of the plate consisted of that one fruit.

He sounded like a fucking mother.

He offered the sippy cup, which Peter snatched off him, sticking the spout into his mouth. Tony rolled his eyes, slumping onto the couch and took a big gulp of his amazing coffee. He might have cried if he had dropped it on his way here, trying not to skull the whole thing at once. 

All was silent and relatively calm until Peter pushed the, thankfully empty, plate off of his lap and onto the floor. It didn't smash, also thankfully, and soon the empty sippy cup was joining it. Tony merely stared at the sight on the floor, blinking when Peter joined it. He was scurrying over to the cardboard box that contained toys before Tony could even think to scold him.

"What did you do to him?" Happy snapped, eyes glaring. "This is the angriest I've seen him. What's wrong with him?"

"I have no idea." Tony replied, feeling more and more exhausted by the minute. "He woke up like that, diaper full of shit, and now I don't know what's got him so fired up."

"He came in here screaming and demanding for me to turn on the TV." Happy continued, Tony staring at the moving animations on the screen but not taking any of it in. He took another gulp of his coffee, cringing when he realised that he had drunk the whole thing already. "You better fix him before P-"

"'ony!" They both jumped when Peter screeched from across the room, interrupting whatever Happy was going to say. His arms were wrapped around a teddy bear that was almost bigger than him, a glare set deep in his expression as he waited for Tony to acknowledge him. Oh, how he wished that Peter was a happy and semi-behaved child like he had been since he picked him up from May's. 

"What?" Tony asked, not really meaning to snap. Peter didn't even seem to notice the anger he was feeling.

"When big?" Tony felt himself pale. He stared into Peter's angry, and frustrated eyes, biting on his tongue when he saw that familiar look. Mixed with all the anger and fury in his eyes, was that knowing look he hadn't seen for a little while. So, teen Peter was aware again. Tony didn't know whether to feel good or bad about that. "'ony!"

"I'm working on it." Tony replied, running a hand down his face. "Do you want to come pick all this up?" He gestured to the plate and sippy cup on the floor. He watched as Peter looked between him and the small mess, seemingly contemplating his next move. Tony held his breath, almost rolling his eyes when Peter shook his head and turned away from them. Great.

"Come on, Peter." He continued when he caught sight of Happy's encouraging look. "Clean it up. Please. Then you can go back to.. angrily suffocating that poor bear."

"No!" Peter snapped, flopping onto his back and rolled onto his side, facing away from them, huge bear in arms. Tony could have laughed it off and said that Peter was spooning the huge teddy bear, but no. Nuh-uh.

"Keep going." Happy nudged his thigh. Tony groaned. He was not this kid's parent!

"Peter." He made his voice firmer, hoping it would get through to Peter like it usually seemed to, but this time, Peter didn't even react. "Peter. Now."

"No! 'ony no make Pe'er big, Pe'er no help 'ony!" Tony clenched his fists, trying his best not to completely explode from anger. That hadn't worked out so good the last two times he had lost his temper, and maybe it would be best if he didn't start screaming.

"Peter." Tony said again, his voice low and warning. He didn't know what he was actually going to do if Peter kept ignoring him, though. "All you have to do is put your plate and cup it on the table and you're done. It's really not that hard."

"NO!" Peter screamed it this time, his legs kicking out. Tony had begun to notice Peter did that when he was both overly happy and very angry. "NO!"

"You're not acting very much like a teenager right now." Tony snapped, standing from the couch, ignoring Happy's frantic whisper. He walked right over to the kid, who was still curled up on the floor, taking the bear out of his grasp. For some reason, it was surprisingly easy to detach him from the toy. He then came to realise that Peter hadn't heard him coming...

"Noooooooo!" Peter started wailing. Tony kept himself from growling, putting the bear back in the box before placing his legs on either side of Peter's tiny body, hoisting him into his arms immediately. Peter thrashed around in his grip, smacking at his arms and screaming in his ear as Tony took him over to the corner of the room, dumping him on the floor before he had actually dropped him. "'ony! NO!"

Tony grabbed his face, still forcing a cap on the anger that was still trying to come out. No. "You're going to stay here until you can calm yourself down, alright? If you try to run off you'll just be put right back here. This isn't a very adult thing to do, Peter. I know you're in there and I know you're listening to me."

Peter tried smacking Tony's hand, though he missed considerably. "Go 'way!"

"Yes, that's what I'm planning to do." Tony snapped, letting go of Peter's face and stood up to his full height. Peter wailed at his feet, now lying on the floor and flailing in a full-blown tantrum. It was almost mirroring what had happened back at the Compound, which Tony really didn't want to think about. "All this over picking up a fucking sippy cup.."

That part was mumbled to himself when he looked down at the writhing toddler, whose face was red, teary and snotty. Tony refused to give in, rubbing his temples as he decided what to say next. Peter was screaming words, he knew that, but they were so garbled and jumbled that he had no hope of figuring out what the hell he was saying.

"You're going to be there for a long time if you keep acting like this." Tony said as he turned around, shaking his head at Happy who looked shocked. Peter screamed illegible words behind him, Tony choosing to ignore it as he went and sat back down. He then glanced at Peter, who hadn't moved from the corner, but was still thrashing and sobbing on the floor. "I'm about to lose it, Hap."

"You're doing pretty well." Happy replied, glancing over to the sobbing mess. "I think he's overwhelmed. Maybe tired. Did you give him a nap yesterday?"

"When did you turn into a father?" Tony snapped, cringing when he realised Peter had no time for a nap the day before, and they had gotten home pretty late from the beach. But he slept the entire night, he couldn't possibly need more sleep? "No, he didn't."

"Maybe that's why he's so cranky." Happy replied, shrugging. "FRI, change the channel."

Tony swore it was days before the furious, high-pitched wails stopped, causing him to glance over at the corner of the room. Peter was sitting up now, hugging his knees, staring at Tony with his thumb lodged in his mouth. He looked a little less angry, though it was definitely still there. He looked at the time displayed on the TV, eyebrows raising when he realised Peter had been crying for a solid hour and a half without stopping. Who knew the kid had lungs on him.

He sighed, pushing himself off of the couch before walking over to Peter, kneeling back down. "So? Ready to clean up your mess?"

Peter nodded, picking himself up off of the floor when Tony gave him permission. Tony watched as Peter shuffled over to the couch, right by Happy's leg, squatting down to pick up the plate and then the cup. Tony winced when Peter slammed them onto the coffee table, definitely still showing attitude, but not breaking nor the table or the objects. Then, he dragged his feet over to Tony, arms raising.

Tony stared down at him. "Are you sure about that?"

Peter dropped his arms, scowling. Tony, most of his earlier anger beginning to wash away, had to bite back his smile at the look on his kid's face. Peter moved back to his box of toys, picking through the box before pulling out a different RC toy. It was a car, of course, but it was of some other children's character that Tony didn't recognise. He started playing with it, driving it around the living room as Tony went and sat back on the couch. 

The serenity didn't last long, because soon Peter was up and tugging on Tony's pants. "What is it?"

Peter began urgently tugging at his diaper, his face scrunching up. Tony took one glance down and saw that a part of the diaper had become darker and saggier, so with a sigh, he lifted Peter into his arms and hauled him off down the hall. "What's pressing your buttons today, huh?"

Peter didn't answer, stubbornly sucking on his thumb with his eyebrows furrowed. It was then when Tony realised that the kid was, in fact, tired. He had the same look on his face that he did before they left for Malibu, and he also occasionally lifted a fist to rub his eyes. "I think you're in need of a nap. Maybe that's it."

Peter began whining, pushing away from Tony. Tony groaned, lying the kid down on the changing table before grabbing all the necessary supplies. Ignoring his disgust as per usual, he untaped the diaper and chucked it into the bin, swapping it with a clean one after applying rash cream. Within a few minutes he was done, placing Peter on the floor when he once again demanded so. Tony washed his hands, watching as Peter toddled out of the room, thumb still stuck in his mouth as if it would have to be surgically removed. 

Tony made sure to grab a pacifier on his way out. 

Returning to the living room, it was rather peaceful. Peter was once again driving his RC car around the room, Tony almost stepping on it as he made his way into the kitchen for his third cup of coffee. It followed him in there, and he pretended not to notice Peter peering around the bench, repeatedly slamming the toy into his feet with a look of anger plastered on his face. Tony ignored it all the way back to the living room with his coffee, sighing and wishing he could be down in his lab where there weren't toddlers abusing his feet with remote control cars. There had been something nagging at his mind since he woke up, as well, but he had no idea what it was and why he couldn't remember it. That, or his brain was fried from staying up all night to many times.

The next hour was peaceful and quiet until Peter started crying again. This time, it was completely out of the blue after a distinct cracking sound, giving both Happy and Tony a heart attack when the sound pierced through the quiet. They both looked over to Peter, who was sitting on the floor with a broken controller in his hands, tears streaming down his cheeks as he looked at it. Tony was completely confused as he watched Peter hurl the remote in a fit of anger soon after, the controller breaking even more when it hit the tiles. What was going through Peter's head right now was beyond Tony, and all he could do was watch Peter send himself into another, aggressive and very loud temper tantrum. 

How he broke the controller, Tony had no idea. He knew Peter was losing his powers in his toddler form, which left him just confused. After sitting there for a few moments just watching Peter scream his lungs out, he finally stood and walked over to the sobbing toddler.

Though, maybe he had waited a few minutes too long, because when he reached Peter, the kid was vomiting up all over himself.

And then, at that precise moment, Pepper Potts' voice rang out through the mansion. "I can't believe you Tony-"

Peter's horrified sobs cut the woman off, Tony's heart catapulting into panic as he kneeled in front of Peter, cringing at the fluids covering his kid from chest to diaper to floor. "FRIDAY? What's wrong with him?"

FRIDAY didn't answer for a few seconds, Tony already picking Peter up when he raised his arms. His cries had turned from angry to sad, piercing through Tony's eardrums as he picked the kid up under his armpits. He held Peter a good distance out from him, feeling the contents of his own stomach slosh around when the sound of vomit splattering onto tile made it's way into his ears, closing his eyes for a few seconds before opening them again.

"My scans have detected no signs of sickness. I am suspecting young Peter was crying so hard that it caused him to be sick, Sir. It can be common in young children." Tony breathed a sigh of relief, but then cringed. This kid had practically been crying all day already, and it had caused him to throw up. He groaned inwardly after that, turning around, his heart falling from his chest and out of his ass when he saw the look on Pepper's face. Now he remembered what he had forgotten.

"Tony, what's-"

"Not now." He snapped, ignoring the guilt, already hurrying in the direction of the hall. "Happy, explain."

Then he was gone, carrying the still sobbing child all the way to the bathroom. He silently thanked FRIDAY when she had already filled the tub to an appropriate height, immediately setting Peter on the floor before un-taping the diaper. He cringed when he realised that the diaper was also wet with pee, suddenly feeling horrible for the kid who had been having one hell of a morning. "Come on, Petey. In you get."

He lifted Peter in, resisting the urge to look away when Peter's vomit mixed in with the water. "FRI, drain and re-fill."

FIRDAY did as she was told, Tony making sure he got most of the substance off of Peter before the water completely drained out. The plug was put back in place and the tap was turning on, soon filling back up to the height it had been up to before. Peter sobbed the entire time, his head buried in his tiny hands, and Tony knew he was overtired. What a fucking shit of a parent he was attempting to be. Pepper had come at one of the worst moments possible, and Tony had no idea how to explain this to her. He should have called. How the fuck had he been able to forget she was coming?

So, turns out he was a shit parent and fiancé. What's new?

"Buddy, it's okay." Tony whispered, running a hand through the kid's hair. "It's okay. You're fine. It was an accident. It's my fault, anyways. I was too hard on you, wasn't I?"

"Nonono." Peter was mumbling, reaching out for Tony. "Sowwy, Daddy."

Tony's jaw fell slack, horror clasping at his chest when he processed what Peter had said. No. That had not just happened. That couldn't have just happened. Peter didn't seem to realise what he had said, still crying and reaching out for Tony. Tony grabbed one of his tiny hands, running his thumb over the kid's knuckles as he did so. "It's not your fault."

"Sowwy." Peter either didn't hear him, or was ignoring him. Tony was horrified.

"What happened to my happy little boy?" That was definitely not what he wanted to say. Out of all the things he could have said after Peter had called him that, he had said that. What the fuck was going through his head? Where had that even come from? Before he could correct himself, Peter's face was scrunching up and his arms were reaching for him even more desperately. Tony was in shock for a few more moments, unable to comprehend the situation, staring at Peter's grabby hands as if they were something abnormal. Peter was pretty much clean by now, from what Tony could see, and there was no use cleaning his hair just yet. 

So, he ordered for FRIDAY to drain the tub and lifted his kid out of the tub.

His kid. When the hell had he started thinking of Peter as his kid? Had he really been thinking that without even noticing? 

He grabbed two towels, wrapping Peter in them as the cries began to slow, droopy eyes staring back at him. He whispered random things as he dried Peter off before carrying him into his room, laying him down on the changing table and grabbing everything he needed like he had plenty of times before. To his horror, changing the diapers was becoming less.. disturbing all of a sudden?

He ignored that thought and rubbed Peter's tummy, which seemed to help calm him down. He searched desperately for another pacifier, since he had left the other out in the living room, almost sighing in relief when he found one sitting innocently in the crib. It was the Iron Man one May had given to Peter while he stayed with her.

Maybe he should call May. Maybe that would help both him, and Peter. 

He offered the pacifier to the kid, who accepted it and began sucking furiously, eyes closing. He was exhausted. God, this was Tony's fault. Maybe Peter hadn't slept as long as he had originally thought? Fuck.

He unwrapped the towels, immediately going through with his task. He was done soon enough, before digging through the boxes to find something comfortable. He found another onsie down the bottom, one that wasn't Avengers themed. It was light blue and had a small bunny's face on the front, smiling innocently up at him, and Tony couldn't help but find it cute. It even covered at the feet, unlike all the others.

He dressed Peter in it, finding himself sighing in complete relief when Peter had gone quiet. He had gone to lay him down in the crib, but as soon as he let go, Peter started to cry and cling onto him. He was frozen for a few seconds in the awkward position of holding Peter half in the crib, his back not liking the position. After a few seconds, he pulled Peter back up and placed him on his hip. 

Tony was horrified. Was he dreaming all of this, or had Peter really called him Daddy, and was Pepper really in their living room right now? He took a few moments to compose himself, bouncing Peter without even realising it, blinking a few times before turning towards the door. He braced himself for the blow as he made his way down the hallway, Peter becoming more and more relaxed the more he walked. He realised the kid was asleep when he reached the living room, where Pepper and Happy were seated on the couch, bodies stiff. 

Pepper's head whipped around as soon as she heard him. "Tony-"

"No." He replied, shifting Peter in his arms. "Just- not yet. Let me gather myself."

"Let you- Tony. Are you serious? What Happy's told me makes no sense and you know it. Whose baby is this?" Pepper asked, her face blank, but her eyes telling him everything. She was sad, and she obviously thought he had cheated. Though, that didn't really make sense in his mind. Two years ago was the Civil War, or as the media had dubbed it, and they weren't together then. He completely understood if she thought he went on a downward spiral after Steve...

"He's not mine." Tony mumbled as he sat down, resting his chin on Peter's head when it moved more to his chest. "This is Peter."

"Spider-Man." Pepper deadpanned, her voice unbelieving. "May's nephew. A teenager."

"Yes." Tony replied, chewing his lip. "How much did Happy tell you?"

"That Thor's brother turned Peter Parker into a toddler almost two weeks ago." Pepper replied, her voice still telling Tony that she did not believe him in the slightest. Peter fidgeted, a whimper leaving his mouth. Without thinking about it, he shushed his kid, Pepper's eyes growing wider and wider as she watched what took place. "When did you become good with kids? When did you have a kid? Did you ch-"

"No. I did not cheat, and this is not my son. Believe me, Pepper, this is Peter. I can show you the footage from his suit. It's definitely Peter." Tony sighed as his fiancé's expression. "Pepper, I know how weird it sounds, but it's actually what happened."

"Why didn't you call me when this happened?" She almost yelled, running a hand through her hair. "Does May know, or have you hid this from her too?" Ouch.

"She knows. She looked after him for a little while, but she couldn't be there enough with her double shifts. He hated his babysitters." Tony replied, ignoring the way his heart swelled up when Peter grabbed onto one of his fingers in his sleep, squeezing softly. "There was so much going on, Pep. It.. slipped my mind."

Not really.

"Sure it did." She snapped, rolling her eyes at him. "I want to see the footage."

"Then I'll show it to you. Later." Tony looked down at Peter. "He's being clingy."

A soft look passed over Pepper's face, but it was gone in an instant. "Is he sick?"

Tony shook his head, Pepper's eyebrows raising.

"Then why is he vomiting?" Tony sent her a questioning glance. Wouldn't she have heard FRIDAY telling him what was wrong?

"He was.. crying too hard." Pepper's eyebrows raised higher. 

"Why was he crying?"

"I don't know."

Then, Pepper stood. "I'm going to bed. In one of the guest rooms. I've been up for hours, Tony, but you wouldn't know that because you wouldn't answer any of my calls. Do you understand what is going through the media right now about him?" Ouch, times two. "Bye."

Then, she was gone.

Tony was fucked.

Instead of panicking and hiding down in his lab like he really wanted to do, he hugged Peter just a little bit tighter and almost cooed when the kid pressed into his hold. He almost vomited himself about how sickly.. sweet he was being, but his whole life was a shit show right now and he didn't know what to do about it, and Peter now seemed to be the safest thing that Tony himself could cling onto.

Somehow, after both Pepper and Happy had left the living room, he managed to fall asleep with his son in his arms, letting the exhaustion take over.

His exhaustion was to blame for giving Peter that particular title.

Totally.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i actually liked this chapter, i hope you all did too. 
> 
> feedback is always appreciated!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really don't have anything to say but read the end notes :)
> 
> enjoy

Waking up was confusing.

His body was warm, there was something in his arms, and he had completely forgotten where he was. It took him a few minutes of groggy blinking to get the blur out of his eyes, realising after a few seconds that it was dark outside and that he was inside of his re-built Malibu mansion in California. He laid there for a few moments, staring out the window, all until Peter started shifting around in his arms.

Tony looked down at the kid, who was also awake, but looked a lot more aware of things than Tony was, as if he had been awake for longer. He stared at the child for a few moments before sighing, head flopping back onto the couch cushion as he began to stare up at the roof. "What time is it, FRIDAY?"

"It is eight twenty-four in the evening, Sir. You have been sleeping for around eight hours." Tony gaped. FRIDAY fell silent after that, Tony taking another few moments to gather himself as Peter stared at him. He could see the kid looking at him in the corner of his eye, sparking up some form of annoyance as he rubbed at his eyes as hard as he could, trying to get the grogginess to go away. He had been asleep for hours yet he was still overly exhausted.

He had no more time to gather his bearings before Happy came waltzing into the room, staring down at a StarkPad and muttering under his breath. He looked up when Tony cleared his throat, a few look of confusion morphing into his expression. "Have you been here the whole time?"

Tony sighed, rubbing his eyes again. "Yes. Where's Pepper?"

"She's in your lab." Tony gawked. "She just started watching the footage. FRIDAY is telling her everything she needs to know. I thought you had told her?"

Tony sighed, sitting up straighter and looking down at Peter. "Why would you think that?"

There was a sigh. He didn't answer Tony's question. "You gotta make it up to her, then."

"Yeah, yeah." Tony became distracted when Peter's face scrunched up, confusion becoming more and more prominent the more it looked like Peter was about to burst into tears. "What's wrong?" A tug. Figures.

"Alright, alright." Tony mumbled, already standing from the couch. "Don't cry. It's fine."

Happy was staring at him with a look that Tony couldn't decipher. "What?"

"You are getting good at this." Happy replied, smiling very, very slightly. "You doubt yourself too much. Go on."

Tony didn't answer, taking Peter down the hall and changing him within record time, ignoring every ounce of disgust he felt. Next, he was heading down to the lab after a failed attempt of getting Peter to stay with Happy, Tony sighing as he took the wide awake and clingy toddler down to the lab. He could see his fiancé through the window, sitting at his desk, watching footage on the holograms. Peter was looking, too, his eyes wide as Tony put in the code for the lab. The door slid open quietly, Pepper whirling around upon his entrance, her face morphing into anger. Tony felt Peter hide in his neck.

From the stare that Pepper gave him, Tony was a dead man, and he didn't blame Peter in the slightest for hiding.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me about this!" She snapped, eyes narrowing. "Loki's back on Earth, and you didn't tell me? What if this had happened to someone else?"

"He wasn't here for long. He's not on Earth anymore, I thought FRIDAY would have told you that?" Tony refuted, sitting down on one of the other chairs he had down in the lab. Peter cuddled with him, quietly sucking on his pacifier as he kept his buried his face into Tony's neck. Tony sighed, rubbing his back like he always seemed to be doing lately, thankful that the kid had stopped wailing for now. He didn't notice he had become distracted until Pepper lightly smacked his forehead, making both Peter and Tony jump about six feet into the air. "What?"

"I believe you, if that's what you want to hear." She sighed, glancing back at the holograms. "FRIDAY told me that Dr. Strange came over. The spell can't be reversed by anyone but Loki?"

Peter stiffened. Fuck. Tony panicked when Peter pushed away from him, almost ready to let the kid run away from him like he thought he was going to do. Peter hadn't known that part, and he didn't know that Tony was pretty much just sitting around waiting for Thor to arrive back on Earth. He glared at Pepper, who just looked utterly confused by what was going on. "Can' be rewersed?"

"It can. Just by.. Loki." Tony groaned, hating the look on Peter's face. "I'm sorry."

"When Tor come 'ack?" Peter asked, the pacifier dropping from his mouth. His bottom lip was wobbling, and Tony couldn't help but cup the kid's cheek with his hand. He only felt a little bit relieved when Peter leaned into his touch, Pepper now staring at him with horror. Yet, another thing he was going to die for. He was beginning to wish that Pepper hadn't of come. "'ony?"

"There's nothing we can do but wait." Tony sighed, chewing on his lip. "I've tried every connection with Thor. Every one of them. I'm sorry. Waiting is our only option." 

Tears leaked out of Peter's eyes, but he didn't scream and try to push away. Tony wiped them away as he hesitantly grabbed the pacifier from where it had fallen in his lap, offering it to his kid. Peter took it without protest and wrapped his arms around Tony's neck, leaning his head on his right shoulder with a shaky breath. Tony looked away from the intense glare Pepper was giving him, beginning to feel slightly angry by her constant shaming of him. Yes, he loved her a lot, and this was far from the first they had argued like this. Sometimes even worse. But this time, he couldn't help but feel a little overwhelmed himself. Couldn't she see that he was trying? Couldn't she see that he was on edge because of all of the responsibility that's on his shoulders right now?

Yes, he loved Peter. He had thought of him as his son way before any of this had happened, and was planning on never making that known to the kid unless he was on some kind of deathbed. But now he had all of this responsibility, and that the kid was two years old and constantly around him, he was stressed out. He wouldn't necessarily say that he loved to look after him. He liked being around a smaller version of Peter sometimes, apart from when he was screaming the entire mansion down, and when he had to change his diapers. But there was nowhere else for the poor kid to go, and Tony was his only option. 

"You didn't tell him." She deadpanned, breaking through his intense train of thought before running a hand through her hair. She turned around so her back was to him, her shoulders heaving with a heavy sigh. "Tony... Why did you bring him here? You should have left him with May. I'm sorry, but you've never really been equipped to looking after a child, and you knew this was our only time together until I have to leave again."

The second portion of her point was true. They only had two days before Pepper would be gone again with SI work. He had honestly forgotten until she had mentioned it just now, and he had the decency to feel bad. But he didn't want Peter to hear anything of what she was saying.

If Tony had been insulted before, he really did now. He chose to ignore the sentimental half of her words, his eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "May was unable to look after him, Pep. I thought I already told you that." Pepper nodded, though he couldn't see the expression on her face. "I'm doing the best I can. I'd like to say I'm doing a pretty good job so far."

"Is that why I walked in to him vomiting all over himself because he had been crying too hard?" Pepper replied, causing Tony to sigh in annoyance. "Who knows how long it'll take for Thor to return. Even then, this could be permanent, because there's no telling his brother will help."

"Yeah?" Tony replied, leaning his cheek on the top of Peter's head. "We'll come to that if it happens. Don't say stuff like that."

"You should have told me." She repeated, turning around again. There were tears in her eyes. "You let me believe that you had cheated on me.. You could have just called!"

"I know!" Tony snapped, wishing he could just leave and be done with it. "But I didn't, there's nothing else I can fucking say! I know I'm a terrible parent, I know I'm not equipped to look after a child, but he has no one else! I brought him hear so it would be less stressful, but it turns out like it's even more fucking stressful than being at the Compound! And by the way, if Peter was mine, he would have been conceived during or after the whole Accords bullshit. I wouldn't have cheated on you because we were on a break!"

Pepper faulted, then had a regretful look on her face. "Tony..."

"It's fine. I know I'm a bad father figure, mentor, caregiver, whatever you want to call this. You don't need to rub it in as much."

"No." Peter muttered, interrupting their heated discussion. Tony could still feel the tears on his neck. "No' bad."

"What?" He asked, ignoring Pepper's guilt ridden expression. 

"No' bad Daddy." Peter whispered, though it must have been loud enough for Pepper to hear, judging by the horrified look on her face. "'ake care of Pe'er. Good."

Tony was smiling before he even realised he was doing it, though it faded when he looked back at his fiancé. She was frowning, eyebrows turned down, her face expressing some sort of disappointment. Tony continued to stare at her, almost daring her to say more. Daring her to tell him that he was lying. He knew if she did, he would actually crack. Pepper was one of the most infuriating people to talk to sometimes, and Tony had no idea how he dealt with it most of the time, even if it was his fault half the time. He knew he was the exact same as her, and he was very was conscious of his stubbornness.

"I'm going back to bed. I've had enough of this. We'll talk tomorrow." She snapped, before leaving the room without another word. Tony sighed, his breath shaky as his eyes burned. If they ended up calling off the marriage because of something like this... No. Tony couldn't think like that. This was just another of many bumps in the road.

"Sowwy." Peter broke his thoughts, the kid sitting up straighter in his lap with tears still leaking from his eyes. "Pe'er make Peppo mad?"

"No." Tony said instantly, shaking his head. "Definitely not. It's all on me. You hungry?"

Peter nodded, and soon Tony was shutting down the lab on his Lockdown Protocol, discretely wiping his eyes. Nobody but him would be allowed in there unless he said so, not even Pepper or Rhodey. Tony found himself not wanting to hide down there, either, giving that it raised so many old memories from when everything had gotten destroyed. He remembered fishing out his bots, seeing his old cars and such on the ocean floor. Throwing the Arc Reactor into the ocean. He didn't want to remember things like that right now.

So, he took Peter upstairs and into the kitchen, setting the kid on the counter before reaching for a banana. "No."

"No?" Tony asked, placing the banana back down. Peter was reaching for the cardboard box in the corner of the room, which contained most of the things that Tony didn't think Peter would use. Like bottles, bibs and other things that were more for.. infants? He took the kid off the counter and placed him on the floor, watching him shuffle over to the box before leaning in. Tony stood over him, watching him push the bibs aside before grasping onto the bottle. Tony raised his eyebrows. "I thought you didn't need that?"

Peter faltered, dropping the bottle back into the box. Tony instantly felt bad, guilt overriding his better judgement.

"No, no, you can have it. I just thought you were more comfortable with the sippy cups..." Peter grabbed the bottle again, much more hesitantly, before handing it to Tony. "So, what do you want to drink then?"

He set the bottle on the counter, unscrewing the cap like he knew what he was doing. 

He really had no idea what he was doing.

"Apple 'uice." Peter mumbled around the pacifier, Tony going through with his request and grabbing the bottle of apple juice. He poured it in to the bottle before putting the lid back on, handing it to the kid. 

"Do you want food?" He asked next, looking down at the kid. Peter nodded. "What do you want?"

"'ookies?" Tony nodded, smiling sadly to himself, rifling through the kitchen cupboards before he found a box of cookies. He opened them, handing three to Peter and taking out another three for himself, before placing a hand on the top of Peter's head and began guiding him in the direction of his room. Peter followed, ditching the pacifier for the bottle on the way. Tony noticed him drop the pacifier somewhere in the hall, but decided to forget about it for the time being as he let him into his room.

He placed Peter into the crib, cookies and all, before dragging over a box to sit on. This box was still sealed and full of items Tony hadn't looked at yet, so he was sure it wouldn't cave in. He sat down and shoved a cookie in his mouth, taking a bite before looking at Peter. He was munching on his cookies, looking down at his tiny, covered feet. The onsie truly was cute.

"Sorry I didn't tell ya, Petey." Tony spoke up before finishing his first cookie. "I didn't know what to say."

"It 'kay." Peter whispered, still munching. "Will Tor come 'ack?"

"Yes. He has to." Tony replied, and wasn't lying. Thor would come back sooner or later, no matter what the circumstances. He liked Earth, and as far as he knew, the Avengers were still together and were waiting him to come back with information about the Infinity Stones. "If not, then I'm somehow dragging myself up to Asgard to find him. We're getting you back, kid."

Tony was aware that Peter was switching in and out of his toddler mindset since he had woken up, and he was sure of it after he was called Daddy for a second time. There was no way he was bringing that up, though, because he was sure that they both would physically implode. This whole situation was kind of embarrassing, and he still couldn't imagine what was going on inside of Peter's head right now. He would pay to know what that child was thinking during all of this.

They sat there quietly eating for a few minutes, before a little hand stuck through the bars. "Too much."

Tony took the third cookie and stuck it in his mouth. He pretended not to notice the toothy grin on Peter's face. He was soon drinking from the bottle, his eyes glassy as he seemed to be daydreaming. Tony felt the same as he leant on his knees, chin in hands as he thought about nothing in particular. When Peter was finished, he handed the bottle through the bars and Tony took it without complaint. Then, as he went to stand up, Peter whined.

"What's wrong?" He asked, sitting back down. 

"No' tired." Peter replied, but he did look it. He had no idea how long Peter was up before he woke up himself. He reached through the bars and gently pushed at Peter's chest so he would lie down, the kid grabbing the Iron Man teddy on his way down. He then began running his hand through his hair, sighing sadly.

"Just try to go to sleep." Tony mumbled, continuing to run his hand through Peter's curls. Not long after, Peter's eyes were closing despite what the kid had said, and Tony was breathing a sigh of relief. When he was sure the kid was asleep, he backed away, standing up and leaving the room. Once the light was off and the jaw was ajar, he leant against the wall and slid down it. "Where's Pepper?"

"In the guest room to the left of your room, Sir." Tony sighed again. He had been doing a lot of sighing lately. "She is awake and looking through your emails. She expressed disappointment when she figured you did not reply to any of them for the last two weeks. You have two thous-"

"I've been busy." He snapped, cutting FRIDAY off as he looked up at the roof. "How's SI holding up?"

He listened as FRIDAY spoke to him about Stark Industries before finally dragging himself off of the floor, only to take himself to his room to flop down on the mattress. He groaned when it smelt like Pepper, rolling onto his usual side and burying his face in his pillows that mostly smelt of himself.

He hadn't been planning to fall asleep, but when he pulled his head back out of the pillow, sunlight was streaming through the windows. Morning already?

He didn't move for a solid hour after he woke up, instead grabbing his personal StarkPad before snooping through the emails he had missed and Pepper had replied to for him. There were two thousand unread, and five hundred replied to. Wow. The world was probably going down in ruins right now from his absence, giving that he stopped going out in public as soon as the media caught a whiff of Peter. Was he screwed? Yeah, probably. He vaguely wondered if Steve and the others had found out somehow. He knew where they were, of cause he did. T'Challa had notified him as soon as they requested to stay. 

Knowing Natasha, she was probably keeping tabs on him. She always did.

He missed her. 

He missed Steve, too. Clint. Bruce, although no one knew where the hell he was or what he was doing. He might not even be alive, for all he knew. He, or the Hulk, could be a corpse floating around space, lost to the world. Tony had no idea what to think or how to feel about that. He rolled onto his side, tossing his StarkPad to the foot of the bed as he did so. He pretended he didn't notice when it fell onto the floor, staring out his window at the ocean with a deep sigh.

It wasn't long after that when his door opened. He was expecting it to be Peter, or even Happy, but it was Pepper. He didn't say anything, looking back out the window as she made her way over to him. He only looked at her when she stood in the way of his view, his eyes moving up to meet hers. She didn't look the slightest bit tired, her hair all made and neat, looking as put together as always. He glanced at his clock. It was only just past seven.

"I'm sorry." She whispered, sitting down in front of him and placed a hand in his hair. "I think I was a bit.. harsh."

Tony scoffed, though not as unkindly as he would have wished. "It's fine."

"Did you sleep last night?" He nodded once. "Good. I'm sorry I assumed you cheated. I know you never would."

"I said it's fine." He replied, not looking at her anymore. "It was my fault anyways. It always is. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Tony." She ran her fingers through his hair, before cupping his cheek. "I was, well, still am angry at you for not calling me when it got out to the press. There was no way I could have known that the child was Peter. De-aged, Tony. De-aged! Do you know how unbelievable that sounds?"

"I know." Tony mumbled, letting her stroke his cheek. "I didn't believe it at first either."

"How did you find out?" She asked, her hand moving back to his hair. 

"I got an alert from his suit. Found him in an alleyway like that. The suit shrunk with him, too. Didn't FRIDAY tell you this part?" Silence. He assumed Pepper was either shaking or nodding her head. "But yeah. Took him back to the Compound, looked after him for a bit until I kind of.. cracked it. May took him for a week and a bit after that."

"You should have called." Pepper repeated those same words, still gently massaging his scalp. "I would have helped you. I can still help you."

"You're only here for another two days." He mumbled, refusing to acknowledge the tears burning in his eyes. "We argued all afternoon and night yesterday. Peter feels bad, by the way. You should reassure him. My reassurances do nothing."

Tony imagined Pepper was smiling. "He's a cute kid, Tony. No wonder you're so in love with him."

"Excuse me?" Tony actually looked at her this time, eyebrows raised. 

"I could see it on your face last night. You're whipped for that kid. Forgive me if I thought you actually were his father." Tony stared at her, jaw hanging open slightly. She smiled at him, her expression now back to it's usual kindness. "That's how parents look at their kids, y'know."

"Really?" Tony groaned, rolling his eyes before flopping back into his pillow. "I'm not his Dad."

"Not biologically." Pepper had that tone again which told him she would be smiling. "You have the same look when you were around fifteen year old Peter. Don't think we didn't notice."

"I'm not fit to be a parent." He mumbled, pressing his face into the pillow. "You said it yourself."

The hand in his hair paused. "I did. But that was before I saw you interacting with him when he called you his Daddy."

"Please, stop." Tony muttered, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."

"Don't do it again." She kissed his temple before running her fingers over the same spot. "I'll make breakfast, then. What does Peter like?"

"Bananas. Fruit. Give him a bottle of apple juice." Tony mumbled, somewhat dozing. Pepper kissed his temple again before standing, her footsteps leaving the room as Tony almost drifted back off into dreamland. 

Not even five minutes after Pepper left, FRIDAY spoke up. "Young Peter is awake and asking for you, Boss."

"Thanks." Tony muttered, laying there for a few more moments before pushing himself up. He took himself to Peter's room, spotting the kid sitting in the middle of the crib, staring at him with his Iron Man toy in hand. He looked groggy, his eyes blinking slowly as he watched Tony approach him. "Morning."

Peter didn't answer, Tony plucking him out before he could raise an arm. "Do you need to be changed or whatever?" Peter stared at him for a while. Tony had never asked him if he needed a change, oh God. Tony began cringing, taking the kid over to the changing table anyways. "I'll take that as a yes."

He went through with the process, changing Peter's diaper and clothes before hauling him back into his arms. Peter clung to the Iron Man teddy the whole time, still looking pretty out of it. Tony felt a little refreshed after his conversation with Pepper, feeling a lot more awake now that he was carrying Peter in the direction of the kitchen. He merely gaped when he saw the table already set for them, Pepper already eating and smilingly sheepishly at him. Happy was nowhere to be seen as of yet.

Tony decided against saying anything, placing Peter in his usual chair with the booster seat before sitting down himself. He started eating immediately, only having had those cookies for the last.. he had no idea how many hours it had been since he woke up.

"How are you, Peter?" Pepper asked in the silence, smiling kindly at the child. Peter had been in the middle of drinking his apple juice, pausing with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Good." Was his reply, the rubber nipple of the bottle going straight back in his mouth. So, maybe they would be spending the day with toddler Peter? He shrugged to himself, continuing to eat the waffles that had been prepared for him by Pepper. 

Everything was running smoothly so far. He felt better than he had for days, and Peter seemed significantly happier than he had been the day before. Good start.

He hoped it would stay like that for the entire duration of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> fun fact: i don't ship pepperony
> 
> SO i have a few things
> 
> one of them is there won't be an update in the next few days because i am going to a different state, but it's my usual wait time between chapters so you probs won't even notice. after that school starts, so i'll have less time to write. 
> 
> the second is that i have an idea for a sequel! would you guys be interested?
> 
> and the third is i have almost finished the last chapter, and once i do that updates will most likely come a little quicker.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i'm back from my holiday, and here's another chapter. school starts tomorrow so updates may slow down
> 
> good news! i have started the sequel to this. 
> 
> anyways, enjoy this chapter. i'm not really sure how i feel about it

Peter wasn't a very happy kid, yet again, his mood changing as breakfast ended. He refused to talk to anyone, sitting in a pile of Legos as he began creating whatever it was he had chosen. Tony suspected it was something Harry Potter related, but he wouldn't know until Peter had finished. He had no idea what was wrong with the kid this time, but he decided to take his silence as a few more moments to talk with Pepper.

They left Happy to watch Peter, who didn't even seem fazed by their departure, taking Tony's R8 into LA. At first, he was happy to be away from the kid. But the further they got away from the mansion, the more his heart pounded in his chest, and the more he began to want to turn right back around and speed back. He didn't know why, but he was already missing the kid's company. Maybe he could have taken them with him, taken him to the park or something. 

He wasn't sure if Pepper thought the same thing, but she seemed to notice his discomfort when he opened the door for her, parked outside of their favourite Italian restaurant. Maybe he shouldn't have brought the most obvious car he could ever pick, bright red and obviously expensive. His R8 at the Compound was orange, which was even worse, so he was glad he didn't have that one here. He could already feel eyes on him, and he could see the phones out in the corner of his eye. He ignored them, hooking his arm with Pepper's before taking her into the restaurant.

"Is everything alright?" She asked once they were seated, placing her hand on his that was on the table. 

Tony nodded, pushing away his anxiety. He was fine, and Peter was fine. He had gone almost two weeks without seeing the kid with no worries, so why was he feeling it so much now? Well, he had felt something when Peter was out of his care for those days, but it didn't feel like this. So, in the normal Tony Stark fashion, he ignored it and plastered a fake smile on his face.

A waitress came over soon after, her eyes bulging slightly as she realised who she was speaking to. She handled herself well, not mentioning who Tony and Pepper were or asking for an autograph, simply taking their orders before leaving. Tony could tell their was an extra bounce to her step, and he was sure that he could hear her telling her colleagues what had just happened.

"Tony." Tony looked at her, only now just realising that he had been tapping his fingers constantly on the table. "Are you sure you're alright? Do you want to go home?"

"No. I said I'm fine." Tony replied, still smiling. He was sure his eyes were saying something else. "So, tell me what happened while you were away. Anything interesting?"

So, Pepper rattled off her tales from work in DC, Tony not being able to stand the concerned look she had plastered on her face as she spoke. Though, he found himself zoning out on a few occasions when Peter filtered into his mind, wondering what he was doing or if his mood had improved. Or how Happy was handling the situation. He couldn't help but feel worried, and he hated that he was. Was he really feeling fucking paternal? No way. That wasn't a thing. He was a Stark.

"Are you listening to me?" Pepper asked, Tony blinking once before snapping back into reality. Pepper still looked concerned, her hand once again gripping his on the table. "Is there something else on your mind? Do you miss Peter?"

Tony gawked, almost choking on his sip of Coke. He refused to drink, and for a reason he definitely knew but didn't want to think about. "How many times do I have to tell you I'm fine for you to believe me?"

"I can tell you've got something on your mind, Tones. We can go home if you want." Tony shook his head. "At least tell me what's wrong? Is it Peter?"

Tony didn't answer, indirectly confirming her question. Pepper nodded to herself, smiling, squeezing his hand before pulling it away. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments, waiting for their food to arrive. Tony's thoughts had drifted once again, and his fingers had begun rapidly tapping on the wooden table to assist with his anxiety. It was a few minutes after their food had arrived when Pepper began speaking again, Tony almost gaping when his hand shook when picking up his fork. What the fuck was up with him?

"Have you taken him outside much?" Pepper asked, her voice warm and loving. 

"I took him to the beach." Tony replied before stuffing his mouth with fish. Pepper nodded, humming, before taking a bite of her own. 

"Did he like it?" She asked after she was finished, looking at Tony with a look in her eye that he couldn't figure out.

"Yeah, I think so." 

She smiled again. "That's good. Anywhere else?"

Tony shook his head. "The media are vultures. They already know about Peter, which means the whole world does and are making up their own theories. What about the kid's friend, Pep? He hasn't even been told yet."

"You should tell him soon." Pepper replied, that concerned look appearing on her face. Voice lowered, she whispered, "We don't know how long it's going to take for Thor to return. It could be months, Tones. He going to miss out on a lot school."

"I'll have May tell him." Tony replied, leaning back in his seat with a sigh. "I tried everything, Pep, I really did. There's nothing else to do but wait."

Pepper smiled sadly. "I understand. Anyways, he's good for you. I think I've told you that already, but he is. Even when I was angry I could tell. I didn't expect for you to pick up a child whose covered in vomit, at all. I didn't expect you to do anything."

"Neither did I." Tony replied, resuming his lunch. "But I do miss my fifteen-year-old kid."

"I know you do. Who wouldn't? I do." Pepper replied, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "You'll get him back."

"I know I will."

The rest of their lunch continued in silence, Tony very aware of what was going on around them. People were whispering, someone had their phone out and were trying to act like they were typing, when really, they were recording him. They were in a booth, and Pepper had their back to them. Tony knew he would be the sole focus of that person's video, and he had a feeling that it would surface somewhere on the internet as soon as they left. Why did people feel the need to be so intruding? Yeah, he was Tony Stark and Iron Man, and the cameras didn't use to bother him at all, but now it just pissed him off.

It had started pissing him off since Peter appeared on the internet.

Tony cringed, leaning on the table with his elbow to rub his forehead. He was finished, and Pepper was finishing. They could get out of here soon. 

True to his word, Pepper finished a few minutes later and they were off. After paying and refusing the change, he hooked his arm with Pepper's and led them out of the restaurant and to his car. There were people hovering outside, yelling questions in his face, asking him about 'the kid he was carrying' and who he was, who the mother was, if Pepper was the mother. They had literally come out of nowhere, and Tony shouldn't have been surprised. This had happened plenty of times. But this time, he felt out of it. He was caught off guard.

He opened the door for his fiancé, Pepper hopping in immediately, closing the door before rounding the car. He was in within seconds, ignoring the people screaming at him before tearing out of the parking space and down the street. "Where to, Honey?"

"Let's go back." Pepper replied, Tony frowning. "I know you miss Peter. Come on, we can go home."

"No. This was meant to be our day. I haven't seen you for weeks."

"If you really want to. You know I don't mind. I love Peter." Tony's lips twitched in a smile.

Tony began turning around without even really realising it, and soon they were heading back to the mansion. It was about half an hour into their drive when his phone began ringing, Pepper picking it up for him. "Happy?"

Tony's interest was immediately sparked, and Pepper put the phone on speaker so he could hear it too. "Peter's having a meltdown."

"What?" Tony asked, keeping his eyes on the road. He could hear crying in the background, worry immediately surging through his veins. Had he really become this attached to the kid without even realising? A few days ago he was desperately wishing for Thor to return, but now, not really as much. Yes, he wanted Thor to come, but he found himself knowing he could wait longer if possible. "What's wrong?"

"I don't know, he only started a few minutes ago and won't stop. He won't tell me, either, but it probably has something to do with you. He won't let go of that Iron Man toy." Tony's heart clenched. It felt strange to be wanted by someone so tiny and innocent, even though he was meant to be a teenager. Well, it felt strange to be wanted at all, and not for Iron Man. No one had ever really wanted Tony Stark, aside from his three best friends of course. The Rogues had painted that picture perfectly. "Where are you?"

"We're half an hour out." Pepper replied for him, Tony trying his best to keep all of his focus on the road. He couldn't have them crash. 

"What do I do?" Happy asked into the phone, sounding frantic. "He's been behaved until now. I don't know how to handle a screaming toddler!"

"Comfort him." Pepper supplied, reading Tony's thoughts. "Just- hug him."

"Really?" Happy exclaimed, sounding aggravated. "The little shit won't let me pick him up!"

"Just do something, Happy." Tony cut in, subconsciously driving faster at hearing that Peter was having some sort of mental breakdown. Or another tantrum. He had no idea and still didn't really want to deal with it, but there was this underlying sense of concern for his kind filtering through his body, making him nervous. Not long after they were hung up on, and the car fell into silence. Tony didn't say a word, continuing to drive like nothing was wrong. 

Pepper didn't say anything until they were pulling into the garage, her hand on Tony's arm. "I'm not mad we cut our trip short. We'll have plenty of time later."

"Mhm." Tony hummed, unbuckling his seatbelt. "Good."

She smiled at him before he got out the car, and when Tony had gone to open the door for her like she always did, he was slightly shocked to see she had already gotten out of the car. "Go."

Tony nodded once before turning, walking through his lab and up the stairs. He could hear Peter's crying when he reached the floor, which told him that he hadn't stopped in the half an hour it had taken to get back to the mansion. He hurried over to the living room, cringing when he spotted the wailing bundle in Happy's arms, the kid having somehow wormed out of the clothes that he had been put in in the morning. From where Tony was standing, he could tell that the diaper the kid was currently wearing was full.

Not with piss.

"Why haven't you changed him? Where is his clothes?" Tony asked as Pepper came up after him, her eyes slightly wide at the sight. Happy blubbered, looking from Tony to Peter, seemingly completely unsure how to handle the situation. Peter's head had shot up at the sound of Tony's voice, his beat red face meeting Tony's eyes. He began moving when Peter lifted his arms, the kid blabbering something Tony had no hopes of understanding. "Hap?"

"I tried to change him." Happy said, his voice sounding completely done with it. "I got his clothes off, but then he started screaming again because didn't want me to do it and... rolled off the changing table?"

Tony gawked, almost dropping Peter from where he was lifting him from Happy's lap. He could smell it almost instantly as he subconsciously checked Peter over for injuries, frowning when he spotted the little bruises on his forehead and elbow. The Iron Man toy was also lodged in his arms, as Happy had said, and it didn't look like he would be letting go of it anytime soon. "How long ago was that?"

"About twenty minutes. I tried again, Tony, believe me, but he doesn't want me to do it." Tony cringed, letting Peter bury his face in his neck. "I'm sorry. I tried everything."

"Why was he crying in the first place?" Tony asked, wincing when he set the kid on his hip. His forearm was underneath Peter's rear, and he could pretty much feel the thing squish. Gross. "How long has he been crying for?"

"I don't know why. Maybe an hour or more." Tony sighed, shifting Peter a little and wincing again when the diaper squished against his bare forearm. He nodded to Happy, sending him an apologetic glance before taking Peter away, Pepper smiling softly as he walked past. He had barely realised he was muttering things to Peter as he made his way into the kid's room, pausing for a split second at the sight of the room.

The clothes Peter had been wearing were strewn across the floor, along with an unused diaper and a pacifier. He decided to ignore that for now, laying Peter down and grabbing a new diaper and everything he needed. He braced himself when he opened the tabs, holding back his gag as he took the thing from under Peter and folded it up, feeling that usual disgust at full force as he tossed it into the bin. Peter had stopped crying by now, and to Tony's surprise, was dozing off with the thumb of his left hand in his mouth. 

He finished the job quickly, barely pausing when he noticed that Peter's skin was becoming a little red. He knew what that was, and put cream where appropriate. He was shocked at himself for the nonchalance as he went through with the action, taping the diaper up. Peter would be fine in just his diaper for now. He quickly washed his hands before picking the kid up, securing him in his arms so that he was comfortable.

He had no idea when he had come so parental, but it seemed to be ever since Pepper arrived. Despite their arguments, Tony had begun to feel more at ease and calm. He made a mental note to call May when Peter was out, to let the kid's friend, Ted, Ned, whatever his name was, know of the situation. Pepper was right on that one, too. She was usually right about everything.

Peter said nothing, so neither did Tony. He grabbed one of the blankets from the crib, along with a clean pacifier, before taking him back to the living room. Pepper was the only one there this time, and the look on her face told him that something was wrong. He sat down next to her, shifting Peter so he was more cradled in his lap, looking over to Pepper with a questioning raise of the eyebrow.

Tony only noticed the StarkPad beside her on the couch cushion when she reached over to grab it, already turning it on. It appeared on what the person who had last been using it, which would have been Pepper, a news site pulled up. She handed it to him without a word, chewing on her lip as she looked from him, to Peter, and then to the device.

Tony glanced at Peter before he looked at the StarkPad, feeling a little relieved when the kid was asleep. His head was turned into the crook of Tony's elbow, Iron Man bear pulled to his chest and thumb in his mouth. Tony pulled the thumb out before inserting the pacifier, finally turning to the device in his lap. 

With his free hand, he held the device up and read what was on the front page of some news company he had never heard of before.

Tony Stark, Iron Man, and fiancé, CEO of Stark Industries, has been spotted attending a quiet lunch in LA

Tony raised his eyebrows. He knew this was going to happen. Underneath the title was a few pictures, ones of himself and Pepper entering, inside and leaving the restaurant. He found nothing out of the ordinary about it until he scrolled further down, already reading the text as he scrolled. Most of it was about himself and Pepper about their marriage and Iron Man duties until he got to one of the last paragraphs, his eyes almost falling out of his head when as he read. 

_Someone who had been sitting nearby to the famous couple, who requested to remain anonymous, has expressed that they overheard the pair talking about a child. As of late, Tony Stark has been spotted outside of a Queens apartment taking a child into his car, and once again out of the plane in California. We suspect he is staying in his re-built, re-inforced Malibu mansion, and it is unclear about who the child is, who is the mother, or if this is Mr. Stark's child at all. The anonymous civilian has told us that they heard a name, Peter, and we are unsure if Ms. Potts and Mr. Stark were referring to the unnamed child that has been spotted on several separate occasions. Is this the son of Iron Man? The new heir for Stark Industries?_

Tony stopped reading there. Peter's name had gotten into the media. This was so much worse than him just being the 'unnamed kid'. It was better when he didn't have a name. Now, someone inside of the restaurant had been eavesdropping and had already spread it to the reporters, Tony exiting the news site to look at some others. They all said the same thing. They all had Peter's name. Even some titles.

_Is Peter the name of Tony Stark's child?_

_Who is Peter? Son of Tony Stark? Read more!_

"What the fuck?" Tony snapped, resisting the urge to hurl the tablet across the room. Luckily, Pepper took it from him and set it on the coffee table. Peter stirred, his free hand coming up to scrunch a good position of Tony's good shirt into his fist. Tony didn't even care that Peter was stretching out his shirt, using his now free hand to wipe the drying tears away from the kid's cheeks. "Fucking vultures they are. Fucking idiots."

"I've called May." Pepper replied, setting a hand on his wrist when he moved away from Peter's face. "She's telling his friends, Ned and Michelle. They deserve to know what's going on. They know Peter is your mentee, and it wouldn't be a coincidence. They would figure out his disappearance and this anyways."

"I should have told them at the start. I should have told you." Tony groaned, holding his breath when Pepper reached over and caressed Peter's cheek with a few of her fingers. "I could have handled this much better."

"Don't worry." She replied, leaning back and holding his hand. "I think you should go back to New York. Let his friends see him. They'll want answers."

"No." Tony replied instantly, holding Peter a little closer. He had become protective so fast without even noticing, his heart beating a little faster in his chest. "He likes it here. I'm not taking him back until Thor's back. I don't want him there."

Pepper didn't try and convince him, which was unusual. He could tell she wanted to, though. "Alright. But at least call May. She's waiting for an update that I couldn't give her."

"I will." Tony replied, looking down at the kid. "Thor needs to come back."

Pepper nodded a few times, before leaning over and giving him a kiss on the lips. "Everything will be fine. Call May. I'll make dinner."

Tony hadn't even realised how late it was. He nodded, before she kissed him again, and soon she was gone. He grabbed the StarkPad, ignoring the news articles and pulled up contacts. He was glad FRIDAY had installed all of his contacts onto most of his devices, which made it a lot easier for him in this very moment. He pressed on May's name, only audio, listening to the ringing as it called his kid's Aunt.

She didn't pick up.

He tried twice more, before giving up, setting the device aside. He didn't know how long he sat there with Peter sleeping on him before the kid woke up, his brown eyes staring up at Tony long before the man even noticed. Peter hadn't made a sound, aside from the rhythmic suckling of the pacifier, his huge eyes looking up at Tony with curiosity. Tony sat him up better when he realised the kid was awake, sitting Peter so he was on Tony's legs, facing him, with one small leg on either side of Tony's thighs.

"Tomorrow, after Pep leaves, do you want to go outside?" That wasn't what Tony had meant to say. Maybe he shouldn't have suggested that, giving everything that was going on with the media, it was the worst idea. But when Peter's face lit up with excitement, grogginess disappearing rapidly, Tony didn't retract his offer. "We could go to the beach again. Or the park."

"Par'!" Peter replied, bouncing slightly. He seemed a lot happier than.. an hour ago? A few hours ago? "Pwease."

"Sure. We'll go to the park." Tony confirmed, his chest doing a.. thing when Peter grinned at him. But then, it soon faded. "Peppo goin'?"

"Yeah. She has more work." Tony sighed, hating that fact too. He didn't want Pepper to go. "I don't want her to go either, kiddie. But she has to keep the company running."

Peter frowned. "Where Peppo?"

"Making us dinner." Tony replied simply, finding himself absentmindedly tapping his thumbs against Peter's hips. He only realised he was doing it when the kid began squirming and giggling, batting at Tony's hands. Tony found himself lost for a moment as he continued, the action somehow dissolving into tickling. All the while making sure Peter didn't fall backwards, Tony tickled him relentlessly, adoring the giggling mess in front of him. After a few minutes of listening to the hysterical toddler's giggling, Tony noticed the diaper was turning darker, signifying that he should probably stop.

Peter didn't seem fazed, his face red, a large grin stretched over his face. The pacifier had fallen long ago, as had his teddy, and now Peter was asking to be put down. "Uh, uh, not yet. You seem to have a problem."

Peter stared at him with the most confused look it made Tony laugh. He hadn't really laughed like that for a long time. "Wha'?"

"Oh come on, Petey. I think you were tickled a bit too much." Peter still seemed to have no idea what he was talking about, so Tony rolled his eyes. "Come on then."

He set Peter on the floor before grabbing his hand, preventing him from running off. Peter whined, dragging his feet all the way past the kitchen where Pepper was smiling, and all the way into his bedroom until he was being lifted onto the changing table. Tony when through his task rather quickly, finally setting the restless toddler onto the floor. Peter was off in a flash, before Tony could even ask if he wanted any clothes.

He rolled his eyes, washing his hands, before taking himself into the kitchen. Pepper had finished, pasta they were having, and was currently sitting at the table with Peter in her lap. He was already eating, or trying to eat, his hands, face and chest already orange. Pepper was grinning, and Tony found himself grinning too. He could do this. He could have this, in the future, with Pepper and their child. 

That was, if Thor ever returned. If the God never returned to Earth, Tony would be perfectly fine with having Peter as he grew up a second time. 

He was shocked by his own thoughts, but masked it quickly and sat down to eat himself. Happy returned from hiding not long after, a slight smile twitching at his lips when he saw the scene in front of him. "He looks like he's in a better mood."

Tony nodded. "Definitely."

They ate their dinner together, Tony watching Peter and Pepper the whole time. He didn't want Pepper to leave tomorrow. He really didn't.

When it was time to give Peter a bath, he had refused to detach from Pepper and refused to let Tony out of his sight. So, the both of them were dragged into Peter's bathroom to give him a bath, the kid repeatedly splashing them as Tony tried to clean him. It was a little strange, Peter wanting Pepper to be there but didn't want her to help out with his bath. He wanted her to play with her, and he wanted Tony to play as well, but he was stuck with cleaning the spaghetti covered toddler first. 

Tony began to have a sneaking suspicion that Peter wanted Pepper to be there because he knew she was leaving, and he didn't want her to. He was spending as much time with her as possible. It was cute.

And when it came to bedtime, well, let's just say Peter screamed the mansion down when Pepper had put him in the crib, so here they were, the three of them in Tony's bedroom, Peter in the middle and Tony and Pepper on each side. Peter was already asleep, curled into Pepper's chest with one hand twisted behind him on Tony's shirt, as if he thought he was going to disappear. Tony smiled fondly at Pepper, who wasn't looking at him and was running her hands through Peter's curls, a fond look on her face.

Goodbyes wouldn't be fun. At all.

So, he found himself falling into yet again, another surprisingly peaceful sleep, with a smile on his face.

Man, he disgusted himself. 

When was he ever so emotionally attached to two humans in his entire life?

A sap, he had become.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> feedback is always appreciated!
> 
> ALSO! give me your speculations for the sequel, i'm interested for what you think might happen ;)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> it's been a week and school's already kicking my ass.
> 
> anyways! idk if i really like this chapter as much as others, but i'm going to roll with it anyways.
> 
> enjoy

Saying goodbye to Pepper was going as well as Tony had expected it.

It was going absolutely shit.

Waking up that morning had actually been pleasant. Peter had somehow got himself onto Tony's chest, or Tony had placed him there, he had no idea, but it was nice. He didn't have any nightmares, and in all he felt good. That was until he realised that Pepper was leaving.

He was currently trying to pry Peter's fists from Pepper's blouse, who in turn was whispering things to the kid as Peter wailed over the top of his voice. Somehow Peter had become very attached to Pepper in under twenty-four hours, and was now extremely torn up about letting her leave. Even Tony felt like crying himself, because as much as Peter, he didn't want the love of his life to leave just yet, and he also hated the fact that Peter was crying because he didn't want her to leave as well. But he understood why she had to go so soon, she was a busy woman. He had been the one to make her CEO after all. 

"I'll be back in a few weeks, sweetheart." Pepper whispered almost frantically, her face showing just how sad she was feeling as well. "You have your Daddy, it'll be fine. You'll have fun at the park this afternoon, won't you? Honey, it's okay. I'll be back before you know it." Tony ignored what she had called him, and played back the conversation he had with Pepper early that morning about the park in his head. They were going to one that was relatively quiet on the outskirts of LA, so there was less chances of being seen. Tony would still wear some sort of disguise, and Happy would be with them. Just in case of the very possible things that could happen. He was terrified, but he also wanted to make Peter happy.

"Noooo!" Peter wailed in return to Pepper's words, a heartbreaking sob leaving his mouth when Tony finally managed to get his hands off of Pepper's clothes. So, when Peter couldn't reach her anymore, he clutched onto Tony with the exact same force, though one hand remained outstretched for Pepper, still making grabbing motions with his chubby fingers. "Peppo! Don' go. Stay!"

"I'm sorry." Pepper reached forwards, just enough so she could hold Peter's hand, but he couldn't clutch onto her clothes again. He watched his fiancé rub her fingers over Peter's knuckles, leaning his head on the side of his kid's when Peter let out a shaky sob. "I'll be back soon. Have a good time at the park, sweetie. I'm sure you can tell me all about it."

"Noo!" Peter sobbed again when she pulled her hand away. Pepper's smile was strained when she looked to Tony, eyes apologetic. 

"Bye Tony." They had already kissed each other goodbye before Peter had woken up, knowing that something like this could possibly happen. What they had thought was possible, was happening, and Tony absolutely hated it. He also wasn't very fond of Peter screaming in his ear, but that was overpowered by the sadness he felt. 

Tony smiled sadly at Pepper, Peter's little hand waving around in the corner of his eye as Pepper continued talking. "If Thor comes, I'll join you at the Compound as soon as I can." 

Tony nodded in agreement. "Bye, Pep."

Then, she was turning around and leaving through the front door, to where Happy was already waiting to drive her to the airport. She had been driven to the mansion by a different chaffeur, since Happy hadn't been available, and now he was taking her back. Peter seemed to give up when Tony didn't walk with her, his cries ceasing as he watched Pepper leave. Tony watched his expression, cringing when the kid's face scrunched up when the door shut, more tears sliding down his cheeks at rapid speed. He looked more shocked than sad for a few moments, as if he hadn't believed that Pepper was actually going to leave.

Tony sighed, taking Peter away from the front door and over to one of the large windows in the living room, facing Peter so he could look out. The kid did just that, hiccuping, now sucking aggressively on his thumb as his huge eyes looked out over the ocean. Tony had no idea what his intention was in taking Peter over to the window, but it seemed to calm him down either way, and Tony was glad he had done it. Maybe he was becoming better at this? Just maybe?

"She'll be back pretty soon." Tony muttered, hoisting Peter further up his hip so they were both more comfortable. 

"My sincere apologies for the interruption, Sir." FRIDAY cut in, Peter jumping from her voice. "May Parker is requesting a call, and has been for the last twenty minutes. She has given up on trying your phone."

"Hey, Petey, why don't we talk to your Aunt?" Tony said, already moving to take Peter down into the lab. Peter said nothing, resting his head on Tony's shoulder as they walked down the stairs, Tony ignoring the fact that the lab was dangerous and that Peter shouldn't be down here. If he was in Tony's arms the whole time, then it would be fine. Tony wished his bots were here.

He sat down at his desk after putting in the code, waving his hand in a way that alerted FRIDAY to put the call through. It was an audio call, so they couldn't see May's face, though the call wasn't through his phone this time. "Hey, May."

"Tony!" May's voice sounded a little worried. "I saw the news."

"I'm sorry." Tony sighed, leaning on the desk with his elbow, putting his face in that hand. Peter's tiny hands gripped on the desk, standing up in the little space Tony had left between his thighs. He unconsciously put his free hand on Peter's waist, ignoring the flutter in his chest when Peter leaned into him. "Peter's with me. He's having a bit of a hard time."

He hoped the tone in his voice would tell May that they shouldn't talk about it when Peter was around, because of course, he hadn't told the kid what was going on media wise. Another great decision of Tony's, but there was nothing he could do about it until he talked about it with May privately. Peter was already having a hard enough time from saying goodbye to Pepper, and he didn't need to know that his name was being talked about all over the world at this very moment. And Peter's teenage mindset had so signs of showing, so there was no point. Even if he was aware of what was going on.

God, Tony was horrible.

"What happened?" May asked, sounding even more worried. Peter said nothing, merely blinking at Tony before pivoting around to face him, all but flopping onto his chest with his arms around his shoulders. Tony made an involuntary 'oof' sound when Peter flopped against him, almost laughing. Almost. But May began speaking, distracting him from what had just happened. "Tony? Peter?"

"Pepper stayed for a few days, as you know. She just left." Tony sighed when Peter tensed. "He got a bit attached."

There was a soft laugh on the other end of the phone. "Oh, Petey. Can I talk to him?"

"Yeah. Hold on." He gently pulled Peter away from him, who whined. "Want to talk to your Aunt? Hm?"

Peter nodded, almost hesitantly, before May spoke up again just as Tony was turning Peter around again, placing him so the kid's chest was to his back. He secured his hands around Peter's tiny waist, . "Peter? Can you hear me?"

"May." Peter's small voice answered back, the tip of his index finger prodding at his lips. "Miss 'o."

"Oh, sweetheart, I miss you too." May sounded like she was about to cry. "How's Tony been treating you?"

Peter didn't even hesitate to answer. "Very good." Tony smiled to himself, resting his chin on Peter's head. "Look af'er Pe'er."

"That's very nice." May sounded pleased, and Tony wished he could see her face to know how she was really feeling. He rubbed his thumb on his own knuckles as Peter and May chatted for a little while, Tony's mind wandering off into his own thoughts as he waited for the two to finish. He vaguely heard May say that she had told Ned and MJ, Tony had no idea who MJ was, about what had happened. It surprised Tony that Peter didn't even cry. He only tensed. Tony had been horrified when she started talking about the media, but he didn't have the heart to butt in.

Peter took it well. "'hey know abou' me?" He had asked, looking up at Tony. He had nodded, closing his eyes, getting ready for Peter to scream and hit him. "'hey know my name?"

"Yeah. Sorry I didn't tell you." Tony braced himself for the tears, but they never came. 

"It's 'kay." Peter whispered, May silent during the exchange. "Don' wanna know."

Before Tony realised what he was doing, he was kissing Peter's forehead. He had readied himself to apologise for doing such a thing, but Peter seemed delighted. A big grin was stretched over his face as he looked up at Tony, his little feet kicking around. Tony found himself smiling back, resting his chin on the back of Peter's head once again when the kid looked forward, to where the hologram of the phone call was floating.

"I have to go." May spoke up, still sounding pleased. "Thanks for looking after him, Tony. I don't know what I would have done."

"That's okay." Tony felt strange under the praise he was receiving. He had made countless projects, Iron Man suits, gear for the Avengers, and he had never really gotten that much thanks from people. Especially the Avengers. Thor and Bruce had been the only one to express any gratitude towards him, and they were the ones Tony made the less things for. Even after the whole Ultron fiasco, he and Thor had been on good terms before he left for Asgard, same with when Bruce disappeared as the Hulk. That had been the last time he had seen them.

He missed them.

He sighed, listening to May as she spoke. "Remember to give me a call any time you like. I would love to hear from you."

"I will." He probably wouldn't. He was terrible with these thoughts of things, but somehow, he had managed to look after a child for as long as he had. "Bye."

"See you, Tony." Then, she hung up. Tony got up immediately, already carrying Peter out of the lab and away from all of the dangerous things. Peter wasn't saying anything as he made his way into the kid's bedroom, already rifling through the box for some day clothes. He probably should have gotten around to putting them in the cupboards... if this was a long term thing, maybe.

He hoped it wasn't. He wanted Peter to have his life back.

"Park?" Peter muttered when Tony placed him on the changing table sitting up.

"Yeah." Tony replied, pushing his fringe away from his eyes. "You really need a haircut."

"Miss Peppo." 

Tony cringed, pulling out a cut t-shirt with a shark on it. He studied the design for a few moments before placing it beside Peter, already looking for some shorts. It was already quite hot out, and he was sure that Peter was meant to be on his summer vacation by now. He felt bad for the poor thing. He probably wanted to be hanging out with his friends in Queens instead of out here with him, but there wasn't much else Tony could do. He didn't really like the idea of putting Peter back into the bustling city of New York, and the stressful environment of the Compound until he had to. There were less people here.

"I know you do, kiddie." Tony replied, pulling out these hilarious cartoon print shorts. There were also little sharks on these, and Tony was sure they were apart of some set. He grinned and placed them next to the shirt, before turning to Peter. "Do you need to be changed?"

Peter's face turned red, and that was as much as an answer Tony was going to get. He grabbed a diaper too, making a mental note to get FRIDAY to have more delivered. There had been a pretty large amount of them when they had first arrived in Malibu, and there was hardly any left now. They were just starting the last packet of Avengers themed ones, Tony picking out the Thor one without even noticing until he was putting it on the kid. Oh, the irony.

He got the kid into the shark shorts soon after, smirking at the cartooned shark that wore sunglasses. He then sat him up, pulling the shirt over his head and pulled his arms through the holes. It was actually quite scary how used to this Tony had become as he placed Peter on the floor, subconsciously searching the room for his little shoes. Peter had moved from where Tony had placed him, trying to reach into the crib for what Tony assumed was his pacifier. He grabbed it for him, handing it to his kid before guiding him out of the room.

"Do you want to take anything with you?" Tony asked as Peter shuffled over to his toys. Happy then entered the room, his face strained with sleep, quirking an eyebrow at Tony. Of course he knew what was going on, though he was probably wondering what had gone down with Pepper and Peter. Tony knew the man wouldn't even have woken up from hearing Peter's cries, since he could most likely sleep through an earthquake without even flinching. "Stay here."

Happy followed him into the kitchen, an inquisitive look on his face. "So, how'd it go?"

"Not that great." Tony rubbed his face, staring at the kitchen cabinets. "He cried a lot. Had a chat with May afterwards, I think it cheered him up a bit."

"How bad was it?" Happy asked, watching Tony as he grabbed a clean bottle from the box in the corner of the room. He began aimlessly filling it up with apple juice to give to Peter before they left, setting it on the bench before grabbing snacks. He felt like a soccer mum in that very moment, rolling his eyes at himself when he rifled through the box for something to carry it all in. He found the backpack May had gotten him pretty fast, though he was unsure of how it had gotten there.

"He wouldn't let go of her, and he screamed at the top of his lungs." Tony sighed again. "It was quite depressing."

"Any news on Thor?" Happy questioned straight after, leaning on the counter as Tony shoved everything into the bag. He was surprised that there were spare diapers already in the bag, along with the other supplies, wondering if it had been Pepper who had put them in there before today. Tony shook his head, and Happy sighed. "You'll be fine, you're doing a good job."

"Hm, thanks." Tony replied, pretending that he didn't like the praise. "Never thought I'd be packing a bag for a toddler."

Happy smiled, but didn't say anything, and soon disappeared to go grab their car.

After shoving the rest of the items in the bag, he zipped it up and slung it over his shoulder, off to grab his kid. Peter was on the floor, pacifier in mouth, pushing a few cars around on the tiles as if he weren't really that interested in what he was doing. "Come on, Petey. Time to go."

Peter shot up so fast it made Tony jump, the kid already at his feet and bouncing, arms raised. Tony settled for holding Peter's hand and giving him the bottle with the other, trading the pacifier. Peter didn't seem fazed from not being picked up, obediently waiting for him to walk forwards. It seemed to be, that after their day at the beach, Peter had remembered not to take off suddenly when he wanted to do something. It was quite cute, so Tony pushed away his countless worries and pulled Peter towards where Happy had the car waiting for them.

He helped Peter into the car, getting in after he was secured in his car seat. Before he knew it, they were on their way and Peter was dozing off in his car seat, the bottle still in his hand. Tony found himself drifting slightly, jumping awake when a bump sent the side of his head smacking into the window. He groaned, rubbing the spot, before staying awake for the rest of their small trip. Soon enough, a children's playground was coming into view, and Tony was feeling strangely nostalgic. He hadn't really been to many playgrounds when he was a kid, but the times he did, he always remembered them. Jarvis had always taken him when Howard wouldn't. Even his mother did a few times.

"Come on Peter." Tony patted Peter's knee, trying to shake him awake as Happy went around and checked out the area. Tony still couldn't believe how much kids actually slept compared to himself. "Up you get. Peter."

Peter's eyes soon blinked open, his little hand already reaching for Tony in his sleepy daze. He got him out of the carseat, slowly backing himself out of the car before standing up straight. Happy grabbed the backpack as Tony looked around himself, quickly realising that this park was deserted. The play equipment was quite old, too, the monkey bars rusted. But that wouldn't matter, there was no way Peter was getting up on those.

Tony went in the direction of the littler kid's playground instead, pushing the pacifier in Peter's lips as he did so. "Look, a slide. Don't you want to go on the slide?"

Peter was still half asleep, obviously trying to process what he was looking at. "Swide."

"Yeah, slide." Tony walked over to it, placing Peter at the top. The kid seemed more awake now, a little smile appearing behind the pacifier as he gripped the sides of the slide. He didn't go down, though, and Tony was confused. "Aren't you going to go down?"

Peter kicked his legs when he shook his head. Without saying anything, he pointed to the bottom of the slide. Tony had no idea what this kid was on about, so he looked at the bottom of the slide as if there was a problem there he could get rid of. There was no water and no dirt on the yellow equipment, so he looked back to Peter, confused.

"What's wrong with it?" Tony asked, Peter whining and pointing to the spot again. 

"'o!" What?

"You want me to leave?" Tony asked, readying himself to back away if necessary. He stopped instantly when he noticed the panic on Peter's face when the kid shook his head, though was still pointing to the bottom of the slide. "It's okay, I'm not leaving. I don't know what you want me to do."

"Swide!" A thrusted finger. "'o!"

"You want me to go to the bottom?" It was beginning to click. Peter nodded enthusiastically, clapping when Tony kneeled at the bottom with his arms opened. He had seen parents do this with their children, and it sort of made sense that Peter wanted him to wait there for him. It was a tiny slide, it hardly had a dip, though he assumed that it would look scary to a two-year-old. "Alright. Come on down."

Peter did not hesitate. Tony almost fell backwards when the tiny body hit him, a smile cracking over his face when he heard Peter's shrieking laughter. Peter was off within seconds, Tony watching as he sped off to the steps to get back up. Tony looked over to Happy during this time, almost gaping when the man had a huge smile on his face. Tony hadn't seen Happy smile like that for years.

Tony was soon distracted by Peter, who was once again sitting up at the top of the slide. Within seconds, Peter was running off to get back up a third time, Tony realising that he was already enjoying himself. They did this until Peter got sidetracked by something else, Tony making his way over to where Peter was trying to get into a swing.

Without even thinking, Tony helped him up and sat him down, fastening the little strap around his waist. Peter beamed at him as Tony walked around behind him, gently nudging the swing. Peter outright squealed, so Tony pushed him a little higher. The noises his kid was making were adorable, and Tony had no shame in saying that. He was enjoying pushing the child on the swings, momentarily forgetting that Peter wasn't actually a toddler. For once, for maybe even the first time in Tony's entire life, he let himself enjoy the moment.

They continued mucking around in the playground until Peter was tugging at his diaper, and it was then when Tony decided that it was time for a break. 

Tony was even surprised the way Peter sped over to Happy, the man's lips quirking when the kid slammed into his legs. Tony busied himself with grabbing supplies, beckoning Peter over with one hand. There was nowhere he could even change the kid, and that's when Tony realised how shitty this playground actually was. Usually, there would be bathrooms. There weren't any at all.

"Alright. We're going to do this standing up." Tony muttered, deciding against doing it in the car. It would be even hotter there, since it had been baking away in the sun for quite a while. At least the tree Happy had been standing under provided a lot of shade. "Come here, Petey."

Peter didn't even seem embarrassed at all about Tony pulling his pants down in broad daylight, much like a real child wouldn't. Tony debated with himself how he was going to do it, and decided to just pull the tabs back and dispose of the diaper as soon as possible. He had a plastic bag at the ready, which had been in the backpack as well, shoving the diaper in there before unfolding the new one. He wiped Peter down afterwards, applying the cream before putting the diaper between his legs, quite surprised at how he had managed to do it with the kid standing up. He pulled the shark shorts up, poking Peter's stomach which made him giggle and squirm away. Tony was slightly shocked at how he had managed to do it so quick, simply raising his eyebrows at himself when he thought he might be getting used to doing this already.

He pretended not to see Happy taking a picture with his phone. 

"Alright. Food." Tony said as he wiped his hands with another few wipes, putting them in the bag before tying it up. He moved to the Spider-Man backpack, pulling out the fruit and crackers he had stuffed in there before offering them to Peter. The kid took them without complaint, already munching on a strawberry as he looked longingly at the playground. Tony hoped that all traumatising moments of saying goodbye to Pepper had been forgotten for the time being.

"I sent it to Pepper." Happy muttered, smirking when Tony looked at him. It was almost as if he knew Tony had been thinking about her. "She'll be thrilled. It was cute."

"Yeah, she will." Tony replied, nibbling on a cracker himself. He watched Peter quietly, giving up on standing and sat down on the grass. He looked around again, breathing a sigh of relief when he didn't see, or hear, anyone. He felt a tug on his shirt around his shoulders, blinking out of his daze to look at Peter, who was now pretty much leaning on his arm. "Yes?"

"Pway now?" Peter asked, Tony wondering just how long he had been spaced out for, because all of Peter's food seemed to be finished.

"Alright then." Tony found himself grinning as he stood, not looking at Happy as he and Peter returned to the playground. 

They mucked around for another few hours, and before Tony knew it, it was becoming a little darker, which signified that it was time for them to go. That was precisely the moment when he watched Peter fall from one of the platforms and onto the tanbark, effectively face planting into the wooden chunks. He was too slow to catch him and was now hurrying forwards as fast as he could, picking the kid up by the armpits and set him on his knee.

There was bark all in Peter's hair and on his face, and Tony could tell he was in shock from the wide-eyed and open-mouthed expression.

"Alright, alright." He muttered, ruffling Peter's hair to get the bark out of his curly locks. "You're fine. You're fine, no need to panic. Just a little fall. Look, you're fine."

Somehow, Peter didn't burst into sobs like he had at the beach after getting a face full of water. His lip wobbled slightly, though, his hand rubbing at his forehead as he nodded unsurely to Tony's words. "Home."

"You wanna go home?" Tony asked, frowning at the change in Peter's moods when the kid nodded again. He liked the hyperactive and happy toddler a lot more, and Tony hadn't even noticed that he had began to bounce the kid gently on his knee. "That's alright. It's late anyways. Let's go."

He stood up with Peter, setting him on his hip and carried him over to Happy, who was already packing up the few things they had brought with them back into Peter's backpack. The man didn't say anything, nodding for Tony to just head for the car. 

Tony did exactly that, gently placing Peter in his carseat and strapped him in. He winced when Peter whined, holding his hand instead as he sat back. Peter's legs kicked uncomfortably, something that sounded like a whimper leaving the kid's mouth soon after. Tony unbuckled himself and leant over so he could see his kid better, becoming saddened when he realised that Peter was crying and reaching out for him.

Happy had gotten into the car at that moment and was peering around to look at them, concern etched onto his features. "Is he hurt? I saw him fall."

"I don't know what's wrong." Tony replied, before running his hand through Peter's hair. "Come on, baby, talk to me."

Peter ignored his request and reached out for him even more, managing to latch onto Tony's shirt with a strangled sounding cry. Tony felt his heartstrings being yanked aggressively as Peter's face began to redden even more, his face twisting with discomfort and his legs kicking out and hitting the middle console with a little thud. Tony sent a fleeting look to Happy, who looked just as confused as he felt. 

"Peter." Tony said, trying to pry the clenched fist off of his shirt, looking over his kid's face. He spotted a little cut just above his eyebrow, frowning and using his other hand to wipe the little spec of blood away with his thumb. He didn't mention it. "What's wrong? Did you hurt something?"

Peter shook his head and reached out for him even more aggressively, his face twisting in discomfort. 

"Alright, alright, calm down. C'mere." Tony ignored the look Happy was giving him as he gave the kid what he assumed he wanted, unbuckling the buckles on the carseat before lifting Peter onto his lap. Peter seemed to shut up immediately, sticking a thumb in his mouth and resting the side of his head against Tony's chin, looking out the window. "Happy, drive."

"I can't drive with him on your lap again." Happy replied, sounding concerned. "What if-"

"Just drive, please." Tony didn't want their afternoon to be completely ruined by Peter screaming the car down from wanting to simply sit with him. "We'll be fine. You won't crash."

Happy sighed deeply as he started the car, shaking his head. Tony once again thanked all the Gods he didn't believe in that these windows were tinted, and that no one could see in but they could still see out. Peter was still looking out the said window, tears now drying on his cheeks as the car began to move. Tony still didn't understand why he had been crying in the first place. Was it because his face hurt?

Tony never figured that one out. All the way home he thought about it as he gently rocked his kid, who had begun to doze off as he had on the way there. When he eventually fell asleep, Tony shifted him so they were both more comfortable before kissing his forehead, resting his chin on the top of his head once again.

He completely ignored the look that Happy gave him in the review mirror.

A good half an hour into the trip, Tony ended up falling asleep, too, all the exhaustion from the last few days catching up on him. 

For once, he fell asleep feeling content. 

And content he would stay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> please comment some feedback! getting comments always makes me so much happier and gives me inspiration to continue writing
> 
> also, follow me on ig @wolvicious!! my edits have been flopping lately haaaa help  
> https://www.instagram.com/p/Btneb2dnvM-/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
> 
> thanks for reading
> 
> EDIT: y'all i just had the best idea for the sequel you have no idea ;)


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi idk what this chapter is i think i was delaying the plot when i wrote this... i like and don't like it at the same time.. :)
> 
> i'm a killer for sickfics so i HAD TO i'm sorry i also needed a filler chapter sO hErE iT iS
> 
> *warnings of vomiting and other gross stuff if you're squeamish??*
> 
> enjoyyyyy

Tony didn't stay as content as he would have hoped. As soon as their day at the park had come to an end, Peter's behaviour had changed greatly in the next few days.

It had been around two days after the trip to the park when Tony was woken from his once-in-a-lifetime peaceful sleep by FRIDAY's voice. He had merely groaned and rolled over, burying his face in his pillow and decided to ignore his AI for the time being, for once trying to fall back asleep and deal with whatever she was annoying him about in the morning. FRIDAY let him do so for a few moments, before her voice filled his ears once again, sounding much more urgent than before. 

"What?" He snapped when he sat up, rubbing a hand through his hair and then fisting his eyes. The room was still dark, which told him that it wasn't morning yet. "Fuck, what time is it?"

"It is four thirty-nine in the morning, Boss. Young Peter appears to be in distress, and appears to have thrown up." Tony paused his anger, his hands dropping from his face. "I am assuming he has a case of the Stomach Flu, or Gastroenteritis as it can also be called. This would explain why young Peter was refusing to eat his dinner and drink from his bottle last night, and would also explain his many tantrums. I began assessing his behaviour when I figured this, and I have come to the conclusion of the Stomach Flu."

"Oh, fuck." Tony muttered, already standing up and gathering himself, trying to force the exhaustion away like he had mastered for so many years. "For fuck's sake."

Peter had been a right old terror since their trip to the park, and Tony had managed not to completely lose it and start screaming, and instead be simply sent Peter to sit in the corner of the living room to cry himself out like he had done the first time. Happy and himself had no idea why Peter was suddenly acting so out of character, throwing a fit whenever Tony would try get him to eat or do something else he didn't like. Last night, he had refused everything he had offered, and in the end, Tony hadn't been able to get him to eat or drink anything. 

Peter had even thrown a huge fit over his pacifier being washed after falling onto the floor the night before last, and Tony had been too shocked from his outburst to even react. He had begun to wonder if teen Peter was making an appearance, but he was proved wrong when Peter kept calling him his Dad. 

"How long has it been since he vomited?"

"Only five minutes, Sir." Tony was soon out the door and walking down the hallway, heart clenching when he began to hear the crying. "I recommend giving young Peter a bath and then some fluids. It is common for children to become dehydrated when having the Stomach Flu."

"Thanks." Tony muttered as he pushed the door open, pausing for only a second when the smell of vomit hit his nose. It hardly fazed him now, after all the times after drinking so much he had thrown up all over the place and then fallen asleep next to it, sometimes in it. It was never pleasant, and he was constantly cursing himself for letting it get that bad. But seeing it was never a pleasant sight, especially after Peter had thrown up from crying so hard the first time. "Hey, Petey."

Peter wailed in response as Tony turned on the light, wincing from the amount of vomit that was spread around his kid. On his pyjamas, on the bed, all over his Iron Man teddy. Tony winced when he saw that, making his way over to Peter who was reaching up for him with furious grabbing motions. Tony held him under the armpits and away from him as he picked the kid up, immediately moving in the direction of the bathroom connected to Peter's guest room, trying his best not to wrinkle his nose when Peter could see. 

Where could Peter have possibly gotten the fucking Stomach Flu? They had hardly left the mansion since they had arrived, and neither he, Pepper or Happy had any signs of the virus. So where could he have possibly gotten it from?

He stood Peter on the floor, kneeling down in front of him to unbutton the onsie he was wearing. Tony winced when the vomit touched his fingers, pushing down his own discomfort to get the sodden clothing off as fast as possible. Peter was hiccuping and crying, and Tony was a second to late to catch onto the sign that the boy was about to be sick again. Tony had jumped back when Peter coughed, or more so gagged, the food still left in his stomach splattering onto the bath mat and some onto Tony's sweatpants. When he was finished, Peter resumed his hysterical sobs, Tony quickly pulling the dirtied onsie off of his trembling body.

"Jeez, Pete, how'd you end up getting this." Tony muttered as he untaped the diaper, feeling thankful when it was still clean. He grabbed Peter, hauling the kid over the side of the tub and sat him down, all while saying, "In you get."

As FRIDAY always did, she filled up the bath to an appropriate height and appropriate temperature, Tony immediately getting to work on cleaning Peter down as the tub filled. He cringed slightly at the heat coming from the boy's body and forehead, cleaning the vomit from around his mouth and chin, as well as his chest. Peter sobbed the entire time, rubbing his eyes and looking everywhere but Tony. Tony finished his task as quickly as possible, grabbing a towel before lifting Peter back out of the tub, already carrying him back into the bedroom and over to the changing table.

"Daddy." Peter had whined when Tony laid him down, just as he was bending down to retrieve a clean diaper. "H-hur's."

"What does?" Tony asked as he stood back up, worriedly wiping away his kid's tears. He ignored the name he was called, as he always seemed to do. 

"'ummy." Was Peter's shaky reply, Tony quickly getting on with getting the diaper onto Peter. Peter squirmed, as he had been for the last two days every time he was changed, making it impossibly hard for Tony to change him. "'ummy hur'."

"I know it does. Just let me get this on you, alright?" Tony replied, spreading a generous amount of rash cream over the boy. "Just a few more seconds. It'll be over soon."

Peter sobbed even louder, though he fell lax and let Tony diaper him. He didn't bother with new clothes, knowing that it was likely for the kid to vomit again, though he wasn't looking forward to it at all. He quickly stepped into the bathroom, grabbing a few towels before returning to Peter, who was whining and kicking around on the changing table, Tony feeling slightly terrified that the kid was going to roll off like he had when Happy had tried changing him.

"Come on, come on." Tony muttered as he lifted the kid, using one arm to hold all of the towels like a rack. "We're going to give you some water, yes?"

Peter didn't answer yet again, clinging onto Tony especially tighter than usual. Tony didn't comment, entering the kitchen and grabbed one of the bottles that had been left on the counter. He set the towels on the counter where the bottle had been, already rinsing it out with the one free arm he had. Peter continued to cry into his neck, his warm forehead making Tony's skin warm as well. He was really hoping this kid didn't have too bad of a fever.

He filled the bottle with water, screwing the cap shut with difficulty before making his way over to the dining table, sitting down with Peter in his lap. Peter's head lifted from Tony's neck when he sat down, Tony already offering him the bottle of water in hopes that he would actually drink it. Peter seemed to have an internal debate, staring at the bottle like it was about to bite him on the nose. He then opened his mouth and slowly accepted the rubber nipple into his mouth, Tony watching quietly as Peter suckled, holding the bottle for him as he drank in small sips. Of course, out of all of the times Peter could have gotten Gastro, it was when he was a toddler. Just great.

Peter pushed the bottle away a few minutes later, his face screwing up and whines leaving his mouth. He was crying within seconds, fisting Tony's shirt as he sobbed violently into his chest. Tony rocked him a little, aware that the kid's stomach was hurting, hoping to calm him down. He was even more far out of his league than he had been ever before, unsure how he was supposed to take care of a sick kid. He was hardly able to look after himself when he was sick, and now his kid was. He hadn't known how to take care of a child in the first place.

"C'mon, stop crying. You're going to make it worse." Tony whispered, placing the bottle on the table before pushing Peter's curls out of his face, then wiping his tears away with his thumb. Peter leaned into the gesture, hiccuping a few times as he began calming down almost instantly. He continued to lean against Tony, who was in turn shocked that Peter had actually calmed down so quickly. "There you go. Good job."

"Hur's." Peter mumbled, turning his face into Tony's chest. 

"I know it does." Tony mumbled, leaning his chin on the top of Peter's head and moving his hand to Peter's stomach and began rubbing gently, hoping it would provide some form of comfort. Peter seemed to melt into his hold when he began doing that, Tony smiling sadly when he realised. "When you get better, we can go to the beach again."

"B-beach." Was Peter's short reply, his little hand fisting Tony's shirt tighter.

"Yeah. Beach." Tony replied, rubbing Peter's back. "Maybe we can even go to one of the lakes. I have boats and jetski's. You can pick."

"Je'ski." Tony smiled. He would be lying if he said he used all of his boats on a regular basis, and he knew it was all a waste of money. But he would have no problem getting whichever one Peter wanted driven and deposited into to the closest useable lake, if that would make the kid happy. He was already over with looking at Peter's miserable face, a frown replacing the smile when Peter let out a high-pitched whine and began to cry again. Tony stopped rubbing his stomach when Peter began sobbing out of nowhere, sitting him up better at the same time. It was a few seconds later when Tony realised the exact reason why he was crying, and once again, he was those few seconds too late.

Peter was throwing up over himself and Tony, Tony wincing when he felt the liquid seeping into his shirt. Minutes later, Peter was sobbing out garbled apologies, and all Tony could do was reach forward and grab the bottle from the table and offer it to the kid. He ignored what had just happened, running his hand through the kid's hair as Peter let the nipple pass his lips. 

Tony stood soon after and carried Peter back down the hall and into the bathroom, making sure that he kept drinking the water. He cringed when he realised no one had cleaned up the crib yet, which was still covered in vomit. He steadily ignored the sight and smell and grabbed a new diaper and supplies, taking Peter back into the bathroom. He almost groaned when he noticed the bathroom was in the same state, deciding to stand Peter on the closed toilet seat to clean him off.

"Get Happy here." He ordered FRIDAY as he un-taped Peter's diaper, which was still clean on the inside, disposing it to the side as he grabbed a washcloth from the sink cupboard. He ran it under the tap for a few seconds before squeezing most of the water out, and began wiping Peter down. Said child was still sobbing miserably, his face red and snotty as Tony wiped around his mouth and then his chest. "Shh, you're fine. It's okay. I'm not mad, stop apologising. You can't help it."

"Tony? What's going- Oh my God." Seconds after Happy's voice was heard from the other room, the man himself entered the bathroom. Happy looked exhausted, his eyes droopy and his face pale. It was clear he had just woken up, and given that it was some ungodly hour in the night, Tony wasn't surprised. He probably looked the exact same. "What's going on here?"

"Peter has the Stomach Flu." Tony replied as he got the most of the vomit off of Peter's body, leaning back to remove his own vomit sodden shirt. "Can you grab me some new clothes?"

"Yeah, sure." Happy was gone in a flash, and Tony was left to clean up his child. Once the vomit was completely gone, he began applying the rash cream and then the diaper with Peter still standing, not having the heart to want to move him. Once he was all diapered up, Happy returned with Tony's new clothes. "Anything else?"

"Could you clean this up?" Tony asked, already pulling on his new shirt before standing up. Peter didn't move as Tony stripped off his sweatpants, changing into the second pair that Happy had brought him. He washed his hands quickly, not listening to the Head of Security's complaints as he bent forward to pluck Peter off of the toilet. "Thanks."

"Is this why he wasn't eating?" Happy asked, reaching forward to rub Peter's small shoulder. Peter had his thumb stuck in his mouth, fat tears rolling down his cheeks as he looked somewhere over Tony's shoulder. Tony nodded to Happy's words, beginning to move out of the bathroom while offering Peter's the bottle of water once again, which the kid took and latched onto. He paused when Happy continued talking. "You should get him a bucket or something."

"Yeah." Tony agreed, shifting Peter onto his other hip. "Where could he have gotten this from? None of us have been sick. He hasn't seen anyone else."

"The playground, maybe?" Happy replied, staring at the mess as if it were about to come alive and chase after him. "It did look pretty dirty. I don't think Peter cleaned his hands either. Who knows, maybe some other kid had been there and was sick."

That would probably make sense.

"Well, that's my fault then." Tony sighed, then left the room. "Sorry, Petey."

Peter didn't answer, still resting his chin on his shoulder and sipped the water. Tony carried him into his own bedroom, snagging a bucket on his way past one of the storage cupboards and placed it on the floor. He then sat Peter on the bed, running a hand through the boy's curly hair for the umpteenth time that night. He had never Peter with his hair this curly as a teenager, and he was quickly realising that he adored it. When Peter went back to normal, Tony would definitely badger Peter to keep his hair curly.

He wished Peter would come back. More so for the kid's benefit than his own. Tony wondered how Queens was going without Spider-Man, sighing and pulling his hand away from the kid's curls. "Are you alright to stay here? I just gotta get a few things."

Peter nodded, sniffling, sitting in the middle of Tony's bed holding his bottle. He looked so small at that very moment that it made Tony's heart flutter with something he couldn't determine, nodding once to the kid before turning around and leaving. He speed-walked back to Peter's room, snagging a packet of diapers and everything else he needed along with a pacifier, smiling slightly when he saw Happy cleaning up the mess in the bathroom. Tony would have to make it up to him.

He then went into the living room and grabbed a few of Peter's most loved toys aside from the Iron Man teddy, since that needed to be washed, snagging a different teddy bear and a few other things before leaving the room. He returned to Peter within five minutes, and luckily there was no more messes for him to clean up just yet. Tony handed Peter the bear, smiling when Peter cuddled into it almost instantly. 

"You poor thing." Tony mumbled when he sat on the edge of the bed, offering the pacifier and swapping it for the bottle. Peter took it, now looking incredibly tired, his eyes drooping while tears still leaked out of them. He looked so miserable that Tony couldn't resist pulling him into his lap, shuffling up the bed and laid down with the kid on his chest. He ignored the thought that this would probably cause him to get vomited on for the third time, or maybe even sick himself. "Sleep. You'll feel better."

Peter had snuggled into his neck, the bear in one arm and the other around Tony's torso. His forehead was warm, but not overly hot, and Tony was confident that the kid didn't have a life-threatening fever. It didn't take long for Peter to drift off into dreamland, his body relaxing and the suckles on the pacifier slowing down as he fell deeper into sleep. Tony sighed and looked up at the roof, still feeling tired himself. He knew for a fact that Peter's symptoms would probably get even worse than they were now. He knew how Stomach Flu worked, since he had it himself a few times, but he had no idea how bad it was for a toddler.

Somehow, Tony had managed to doze off a few minutes after Peter, falling into a dreamless sleep. It felt like he was awake for merely seconds before he woke up to the sounds of sobbing, his eyes snapping open in fright when there was a loud wail in his ear, and then an aggressive tug on his shirt.

He sat up almost instantly, though his mind was still fogged and he was confused. "What's going on?"

His question was answered seconds later when Peter was looking pale and slightly green, Tony instantly grabbed the boy under the armpits and held him over the bucket he had placed beside the bed, right when Peter decided that he couldn't hold it in any longer. Tony waited it out, placing Peter on his lap as soon as he was finished and grabbed the bottle off his bedside table.

He offered it to the child, who slowly took it, letting Tony hold it for him. In the meantime, Tony grabbed a few tissues and wiped around Peter's mouth, and then his eyes and nose. The kid seemed to be falling asleep already, Tony watching as he stopped drinking and began dozing. Tony repeated his earlier actions, leaning back against the pillows and let Peter rest against him, ignoring the bucket that would definitely have to be washed. 

Somehow, they both managed to fall asleep yet again. Peter woke up a second time to vomit again, though this time he didn't make the bucket, and Tony had a mess to clean up while there was a wailing toddler latched to his hip. Then, they went back to bed, but Tony never fell asleep. He laid there until it was morning, letting Peter sleep away on his chest as he looked out the window. 

He wasn't sure how long he stayed there looking out the window, but the next time Peter woke up, he wasn't vomiting. 

Tony looked down at his boy, who had sat up a little on his chest and was rubbing his eyes. "Hey Pete. How're you feeling?"

"Hur's." Was the mumbled reply when Tony pushed himself up, arms around Peter's waist. "Hungry." 

"You're hungry?" Tony was a little surprised. He vaguely remembered wanting to punch anyone who offered him food when he was sick. "Alright, let's go then."

He ignored his own bladder begging for release, hefting Peter a little higher in his arms before grabbing the almost empty bottle and teddy bear. He aimlessly felt around Peter's diaper, since he didn't feel capable of telling him and Tony couldn't really see, wincing when he felt that it was wet. He de-toured from the bedroom door to the bathroom, quickly laying out a few towels and then Peter. 

Tony made the changing diaper routine quick, and soon they were in the kitchen looking through the cupboards for something small. "Fri, what should he eat?"

"It is recommended that he have small foods like plain biscuits, bread, rice, potato or jelly before gradually advancing to more foods. I suggest you do not give him dairy, since that can make diarrhoea worse."

Tony decided not to say anything about that.

He muttered things to himself as he grabbed a few of the plain biscuits they had out from one of the overhead cabinets and took Peter into the living room. He offered the biscuits to Peter, who took them in his tiny hands and began nibbling on them, Tony simply sitting there and staring out the window once again as Peter slowly ate.

They sat like this for a while, until Peter was finished and was once again dozing. Tony let him sleep, leaning his head back on the couch cushion and closed his own eyes. He was exhausted, and somehow despite the situation once again, he drifted off to sleep.

It felt like he had been asleep for only ten minutes when he woke up to the sound of crying, and it didn't take him any longer for his brain to register the smell. He almost groaned when he assumed that Peter had vomited on him again, just waiting for the liquid to seep into his shirt. But, when he opened his eyes and looked down, there was nothing around his chest or on the bed. That's when he realised it was coming from the diaper.

"Oh, no." Tony mumbled as he sat up straighter, wincing when the diaper began to leak onto his pants. "Alright, time to get changed. Come on."

Looks like he would need a third pair of pants.

He hastily hauled Peter from the couch, rushing down the hall and into his own bathroom while grabbing the diaper with his free hand. Peter had calmed down a little, but he was shifting uncomfortably in Tony's arms before Tony had laid him down on the towels he had already set out. He braced himself for the sheer disgustingness of the situation as he peeled the tabs back, the thing leaking everywhere, and this lead Tony to wonder how bad it actually was.

And it was bad.

He yanked out wipe after wipe after he pulled the diaper away, ignoring the fact that the diarrhoea was getting onto the towels and reached over to shove it into the bin in the bathroom that Pepper usually used. Tony had used almost the whole packet by the end, the bin full to the brim as he worked on getting a new diaper onto the kid. Peter had stopped crying by now and was staring up at Tony, a pained expression on his face as Tony finished his disgusting job. He still loathed changing the diapers, and up until now it hadn't been as bad as he had originally thought.

But he never would have expected to clean up that much at one time.

When he was finished, he stood and washed his hands as thoroughly as he could, not wanting to get himself sick too, because that would be shit for both of them. Peter began whining because he took to long, little legs kicking out. Tony knew perfectly well that Peter could get up by himself, but the kid seemed to prefer to be carried everywhere. Tony didn't really mind anymore, he was beginning to feel used to it. Peter was also very light, so his back never hurt as much as he thought it would.

"I'm coming, I'm coming. Hold on." Tony said as he turned the taps off, turning around to lift Peter up. "I need to change my pants."

"Sowwy. Sowwy Daddy." Peter whispered, reaching out for a hug. Tony let him. "Hur'."

"It's okay, Pete." Tony whispered, already leaving the bathroom. He would empty the bin later. "Don't apologise. You can't help it. It's my fault for not making sure you washed your hands."

"No." Was Peter's quiet reply, before setting Peter down on the bed. 

"I'll be back in a sec." Tony told his kid before disappearing into the closet. He grabbed the first pair of sweatpants he saw, ditching his other pair before pulling the others up his legs. He was done within two minutes, returning to Peter who had moved into the middle of the bed and was lying on his side, his arms around his chest like he was trying to comfort himself.

Tony moved to sit down next to him, gently running his hand though Peter's hair and rubbing his stomach with the other while leaning on his elbows. These things seemed to calm Peter down the most, the kid's exhausted but upset eyes locked on his. Tony didn't say anything for a while, continuing to attempt to comfort his sick child. He didn't get to say anything, because there was a knock on the door.

"Come in." Tony yelled, though not loud enough to startle Peter. Happy's head peaked through the door, still looking as tired and droopy-eyed as he did before. Tony wondered if Happy had been up this whole time. 

"I washed this." Happy said as he stepped into the room. His nose wrinkled. "Did he vomit again?"

"No." Tony replied, still rubbing Peter's stomach with one hand, using the other to reach out for the Iron Man teddy Happy was offering. Happy didn't need anymore clarification, disgust passing over his face before it disappeared. Tony handed Peter the stuffie, smiling very slightly when Peter latched onto it. "Thanks, Hap."

"No worries."

It fell silent as Tony comforted his kid, Happy slowly leaving the room after that.

"Think of the beach, Petey." Tony muttered, rubbing Peter's head. "As soon as you're better, I'll take you to the beach. You like the beach, don't you?"

Peter nodded, whimpering before lifting one arm up to Tony and latched onto his shirt. "Daddy."

Tony didn't waste any time lifting his child up, sitting him on his knee. "I'm here."

"Sowwy."

Tony rested his chin on Peter's head, sighing deeply. "Stop apologising, kiddie. This isn't your fault."

"Dir'y." Peter whispered, sticking index finger in his mouth seconds after. Tony just shook his head, hardly resisting when he kissed the side of Peter's head, pushing his curls back as he did so. 

"Don't worry about it. Just think about the beach."

When Peter looked at him, Tony could have melted. He wasn't sure if he was imagining the look of adoration on the kid's face, but despite how miserable Peter looked, Tony could have not loved him anymore than he did in that very moment. Never would he have thought that recruiting Peter, Spider-Man, a fourteen-year-old kid to fight Captain America in an German airport would lead to this. 

He still didn't like that Peter had been de-aged by Loki. He hated that, and he hated that because he wanted Peter to be happy. For all he knew, teen Peter was still in there and was hating every moment of this, and he had gotten the Stomach Flu to top it all off. Tony, of course, had been the reason why Peter had gotten so sick, because he didn't think to make sure that Peter had cleaned his hands after that playground.

He was a right old idiot, Tony was.

"Sorry Petey." He whispered, even though Peter probably didn't know what he was apologising for. He seemed very out of it, though still somewhat aware. Tony needed Thor to get his ass back to Earth as soon as possible. Tony hated seeing such a small person looking so sick and miserable, and it was harder to know that Peter wasn't meant to be this age. "Just think about the beach."

They spent the next two weeks thinking about the beach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i forgot what i actually wrote and when i re-read the ending i may have squealed.. isn't that sad that i'm awwing at my own story?? baby peter is just too cute,,
> 
> i'm up to chapter 4 of the sequel... iNteNsE
> 
> comment some feedback, it's what helps me continue writing even when i have no ideas!
> 
> drama times are coming real soon, by the way. even i can't wait for y'all to read it


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> lol sorry this took so long i forgot to update because i was sidetracked with other one shots and trying to learn a new editing program, so, sorry!
> 
> anyways i like this chapter a lot, i hope you guys do too since the last one was a bit of a flop...
> 
> enjoy!

It took two weeks for Peter to recover from the Stomach Flu, and they didn't go out to the beach for another week after that. Tony could definitely tell the difference between sick Peter and not-sick Peter, due to the fact that the kid was currently racing around the room demanding that they leave right now. He had become very restless since he got better and happier, and Tony was beginning to feel bad for not taking him out of the house. There was no way they would be going back to that playground after it gave him Gastro. Nope.

Tony had been in the middle of changing into beach clothes of his own when Peter came storming in, when Happy was supposed to be watching him. Tony had merely raised his eyebrows as Peter sped into the closet, staring up at him with excited eyes. 

"What're you doing in here, hm?" Tony asked as he slipped a shirt over his head, staring down at Peter who was once again dressed in his Spider-Man rash top and a swimming diaper. There was another bucket hat on his head, though this time it was orange, making him look more adorable than he usually did. He definitely like this Peter more than the sick one. For both his behaviour, and the fact that Tony didn't have to change disgusting and leaking diapers as often. He had almost thrown a party when the diarrhoea ended. "Aren't you meant to be with Happy?"

Peter shrugged, staring up at him with his index and middle fingers in his mouth, grinning around them. For the lack of a better word, Tony would describe his kid as looking cheeky. Tony rolled his eyes, finishing getting dressed before extending his hand to Peter. "Come on, short stuff."

Peter grabbed his hand with a squeal, letting Tony lead him through the mansion and out to the car, practically bouncing on his toes. Happy had already put everything away into the car so they could leave straight away, Tony placing Peter right into the carseat and strapped him in before he could protest. He got into the car next, strapping himself in and before he knew it, they were off.

Peter seemed to have forgotten about Tony mentioning about boats and Jetski's, which he found he was grateful for. It was a lot less stressful than just being at the shore with the kid, wondering how exactly it would have gone with a Jetski in the mix. That, and how he didn't really know how to drive one. Or a boat. He ignored those thoughts and poked Peter's flailing fist and then his foot, earning an annoyed whine and another flying punch. As annoying as a whiny and fussy baby was, a miserable and sick one was what Tony never wanted to see again.

"Chill out, Petey, we're nearly there." Tony laughed slightly, poking his little foot again. "I know you've been sick for weeks and you're restless, but you need to calm down."

"Daddy!" Peter whined, now pulling at the carseat's straps. "Ou' now. Hur's."

"What hurts?" Tony asked, leaning over to have a look at what was bothering his kid. Peter was yanking at the straps, the hat half over his face. He reached forward to push it back up his forehead so he could see again, raising his eyebrows at Peter's reddening face. "Come on, use your words. What's up?"

"'o 'ight." Peter replied, clumsily trying to unclip the straps from his shoulders. Tony winced, and looked out the window briefly to see where they were. They were almost at the beach, thankfully, so he looked back to Peter with a blank expression. "How long?"

"We're almost there." Tony repeated, poking at Peter's face. Peter slapped him away, but a little smile passed over his face either way, and Tony began to feel a little accomplished. He poked the kid again, grinning when Peter squealed and pathetically slapped at his hand. "You're cute."

"No!" Peter replied, hitting him again. They continued this little back-and-forth poking and slapping game for the rest of the drive, effectively causing Peter to forget about the car seat and focus on something else, which reduced the chance of a tantrum. Tony really wasn't fond of those. At all. "Daddy, are we 'here ye'?" 

Tony had begun to catch on that Peter could not pronounce his T's for the life of him. "Yes, we're here. You can chill out now."

Peter squealed in delight when the car pulled to a stop and the ocean was in view, seemingly having also completely forgotten about their last little incident, when Peter had fallen face first into the water. Tony hoped there wouldn't be a repeat of that as he helped Peter out of the car, who was refusing to be carried today for some odd reason. Tony just kept a hold on the kid's wrist as he grabbed his backpack, slinging it over his shoulder before leading Peter down the stairs to the beach, just like last time.

He chose roughly the same spot, keeping his hand on Peter so he didn't run off again. He hoped the kid had learnt from the last time as Happy set out the chairs, Tony already sitting down and grabbing the sunscreen. He lathered Peter in it, pulling the orange bucket hat over his head better before poking his nose. Peter was being impatient, pulling Tony's shorts and then pointing to the water, whatever he was saying being completely incomprehensible.

"Shush. Stop moving." Tony said as he almost poked the kid in the eye with a blob of sunscreen, thankfully landing it on his cheek instead. "You know, maybe I liked you when you were sick and hardly moved. Aside from all the vomiting and.. other stuff, it was much easier to look after you."

Well, that was a lie. Looking after a sick kid was quite terrifying if he was being honest.

"No' 'rue." Peter snapped, and for a split second, Tony saw the teenager in him. He felt a little downcast as he wiped sunscreen over Peter's face after seeing the flicker of the old Peter, affectionately cupping his cheek for a few seconds before trying to finish off the sunscreen. "Come in wa'er?"

"Yes, Peter, I'll come in the water." Tony replied, once again ignoring the crushing feeling he felt deep within his chest. "Stay still. I don't want to deal with your tears when I poke you in the eye. The water isn't going anywhere, look at me."

Peter did so, reluctantly, crossing his little arms over his chest. Happy was bustling around behind him, Tony finally being able to finish lathering up the kid before moving to do himself. He'd rather not go home baked and red, thank you very much. "Stay there."

"Come on, Daddy!" Peter whined when Tony stood up to do his legs, still pulling on his shorts. Tony feared that if he pulled any harder he would pull his pants down, and Tony wasn't very fond of both the kid and Happy seeing him naked. "Now!"

"Do you want me to burn?" Tony asked when he finished his right leg, moving onto the left. He couldn't help but find this situation amusing. "Keep pulling on my pants and you'll be scarred for life."

Peter didn't let go, but stood there pouting with a hand fisted in Tony's beach shorts. He managed to get himself covered in sunscreen quick enough, finally giving Peter what he wanted. "Alright, you fish, let's go."

"No' a fish!" Peter exclaimed as he yanked Tony across the sand, not even stopping when Tony nearly tripped over his own feet. He gathered himself pretty quickly, smiling fondly as he watched Peter bounce his way over to the water with that little orange bucket hat on his head. Once they reached the water's edge where the waves were rolling in, Peter stopped, much like last time, and let the water run over his feet. 

Tony panicked for a split second when Peter slipped out of his hold, only to find himself smiling when he saw that Peter was actually running away from the water, not towards it. He was giggling like mad as his little feet tried to outrun the water, the hat hanging over his eyes. Tony was beginning to think Pepper was right when she said that he was whipped for this kid, because he was beginning to feel like he would do anything in the world just to keep him happy. Or maybe he had already thought that. And if he ended up having to grow up a second time, he would have no protest in looking after him until he could look after himself.

He knew he would care for Peter for as long as the kid wanted him to.

Peter came speeding over to him, Tony wincing when he almost tripped over again. Peter didn't seem fazed, running right over to beside Tony's leg and sat himself down. Tony was ready to yank him up as soon as any sign of discomfort was shown on Peter's face by the incoming water, though relaxed when he squealed in absolute delight as it washed over him.

They weren't far out, in relatively the same spot they had been the first time they came to the beach, and Tony found himself slowly sitting down too. Peter's face lit up even more when Tony sat himself down, grabbing a fistful of sand and picked it up. Tony raised his eyebrows when Peter handed it to him, beaming. "Yes Peter, sand. What do you want me to do with it?"

Peter stared at him for another few seconds, still holding the sand, before dropping it right onto Tony's thigh. Water rushed over them at the same time, Tony wincing from both the cold and the fear. It hardly covered him, but it still freaked him out for those few seconds, though Peter seemed absolutely entertained by the small amount of water that washed over them every few seconds. 

Tony picked up a fistful of sand of his own, dropping it onto Peter's tiny foot. He smiled when Peter squealed for the umpteenth time, kicking his leg out of the goop of sand before using both hands to pick up a heap of sand. He managed to shuffle forwards, not even flinching when some water splashed him in the face, and dumped the sand onto Tony's outstretched foot. Tony shook it off, poking Peter's hip and felt satisfied when the kid laughed. Tony had never realised how adorable a baby's squeaky laugh sounded until Peter had been de-aged, grabbing the kid by the hips and pulled the boy over to him and dumped him in his lap.

"See, was being sick worth it?" Tony asked, tickling Peter's sides. Peter laughed and squirmed, kicking out when the water once again washed over them. "You know, I thought you would talk more as a baby, but I'm wrong. Teenage you talks a lot more."

Tony had been hoping for a little glimpse of teen Peter, but it never came. Little Peter just laughed at him while picking up another hunk of sand, staring between it and Tony before smacking it right onto his shoulder. They stared at each other for a solid few seconds before Tony began to rapidly tickle and poke at Peter's side, causing the kid to squirm and squeal all over his lap, sandy hands slapping at Tony's face. He hadn't really realised that he had started laughing himself until Peter somehow got out of his hold and rolled off his lap, right into the water face first.

Again.

As he had before, Tony helped the kid up and grabbed his hat before it could float away, standing him in the spot between his legs, already wiping his face. "You seem to love eating the sand, don't you?"

Peter looked shocked, yet again, one hand gripping Tony's shirt and the other with his thumb in his mouth. He wasn't looking at Tony, his eyes distant as he placed the now wet bucket hat on his head. It actually didn't seem to bother Peter like Tony thought it would, so he settled for keeping his hands on the kid's small hips.

"Do you want to get out now?" Tony asked, taking it as a good sign that Peter hadn't started crying. When the boy shook his head, Tony slowly let go of him and let him do whatever he wanted. Unless that was going further out, which was not happening. Surprisingly, it didn't take long for Peter to get back into it, a smile soon lighting up his face as he began jumping over the water that came into shore. There was sand all over him, on his face and arms and legs, Tony noticing that the diaper was sagging and almost falling off. He sniggered a little at that, grabbing Peter's skinny arm and gently pulled him over. "You seem to have a problem right here."

Peter didn't acknowledge Tony in the slightest as he hiked the swimming diaper back up, making sure the tabs were still secure before letting the kid go. Peter acted like nothing had even happened, already jumping waves and giggling like mad. It wasn't long before he took another dive for the sand, getting yet another face full of water and sand.

Once again, Tony hauled him up, not being able to grab his little bucket hat in time before it was washed away. Peter seemed to be watching the patch of orange wash away, his lower lip trembling as he reached out for his head, and then the hat that was soon swallowed by the waves. "My ha'."

"You liked your hat, did you?" Tony asked as he lifted Peter up, standing up while he did so. He almost laughed when the swimming diaper fell right off, quickly bending down before that too could get washed away to pollute the ocean even more. He held it in one hand and Peter on his hip, moving away from the water. Peter was noticeably becoming more distressed as he looked over Tony's shoulder, seeming more affected by the loss of his orange bucket hat than getting a face full for the third time. "It's okay, kiddie, you have plenty of other hats."

"Bu'.. owange ha'." Peter mumbled, not seeming to have even noticed that he was half naked.

"I can get you another hat." Tony replied, hefting Peter up higher as he walked over the warm sand. Peter had finally looked away and was now pouting in Happy's direction, looking dangerously close to tears. Tony, once again, almost burst into laughter when he saw that Happy already had all the supplies out for them, the glare on his face telling Tony not to say a word or he was dead. Peter scratched his ear, looking at Tony with teary eyes. "An even cooler one."

Peter didn't start wailing, like he had been expecting, though tears did begin to slip down his cheeks. Tony sighed sympathetically, setting Peter down on the sand before grabbing the diaper from Happy and worked on getting it around Peter's waist before the kid sat down. Peter let him do so, still mourning the loss of his beloved hat as Tony got the new swimming diaper around his waist as soon as possible. When he was done, he let the kid do what he wanted, sitting back in the chair and sighing.

Peter settled with some beach toys, like he had last time, playing quietly but sadly. Tony shared a glance with Happy before rifling through the bag, finding yet another bucket hat. This one was green, not orange, but he placed it over Peter's head either way. He watched at the kid pulled it back off, looking at it for a few seconds before yanking it back over his head with a satisfied smile. Tony smirked and sat back, watching Peter play for a while before going on his phone.

He answered a few emails he had just sitting in his inbox, quickly becoming bored and shoved his phone back in his pocket. "Hungry, Pete?"

Peter looked up from his sandcastle, nodding a few times before standing. Tony went through the bag once again, finding a few crackers and a bottle of water he had packed beforehand. He gave both to the kid, who took them with a grin, and went back to his sandcastle. Tony felt his phone buzz on the arm of his chair, though he ignored it in favour of switching the phone off. Whatever it was could wait until later.

He was soon dragged back into the water, where they spent the rest of the day, thankfully not eating anymore sand or losing anymore hats. When it was time to go, there was no complaints from Peter, who was almost fast asleep wrapped up in a towel in Tony's arms, already sucking on a pacifier and dozing on Tony's shoulder. He half-helped Happy pack up, carrying Peter and the backpack up to the car. Happy opened the door for them once he had out everything in the boot, Tony gently placing Peter in the car seat before buckling him in.

The drive back was quiet, and Tony was holding Peter's hand the whole time because the kid seemed to refuse to let go, even when he was almost asleep. Once they reached the Malibu house, Tony immediately took Peter up to his room and got him into the bath. Peter seemed to wake up a little to play with the bath toys Tony had found in the bottom of one of the toy boxes sometime during when Peter was sick, giggling and making little sounds for them as Tony the sand and seawater off of him. He was almost out as soon as Tony plucked him out, and was dead asleep as soon as he was laid down onto the changing table. He didn't wake when Tony dried him off and put pyjamas on him, or when he was placed into the crib soon after. 

He pushed the Iron Man teddy into his boy's arms before smoothing out his curls, and with that, he left the room and left the door ajar.

It seemed to be that FRIDAY had been waiting for Tony to be finished with Peter before she started talking to him, starling him out of his daze. "What was that?"

"I have received information about the whereabouts of Thor Odinson." Tony's heart practically stopped, his head snapping up so fast he swore it cracked. Tony immediately de-toured to go into the lab, sitting down at his desk and leant on his elbows as FRIDAY continued to speak to him. "I tried to contact you on your beach trip with young Peter through your phone, but I understand that you switched it off."

"Where is he?" Tony asked, eyes widening when images and videos appeared in front of him. 

"Multiple sources have reported that they have seen an unidentified flying object, or UFO as it is commonly called, heading towards Upstate New York. Footage recorded by helicopters has shown that the ship has landed to the right of the Avengers Compound, and I have done scans that prove hundreds of heat signatures on board." Tony watched the videos as she spoke, eyes widening when he actually saw the ship she was talking about. It was fucking huge, and made the Compound look like a spec of dirt. "Countless sources are claiming that Thor Odinson and The Incredible Hulk were seen exiting the ship."

The Hulk. Bruce.

Tony could have either cried or screamed in relief, but he did nothing. He sat there, staring at the blurred pictures of what was supposed to be Thor and Hulk. He couldn't see much on the picture, since it was blurry, though he could make out the shape and colour of Hulk's body. He assumed Thor was the pixel blob standing next to him. He was sure the cameras surrounding the Compound would have been able to pick them up, but there must be a reason why FRIDAY wasn't showing them to him.

He didn't pry.

"Where are they now?"

"They are currently inside of the Avengers Compound. Mr. Odinson is requesting to know where you and the rest of the Avengers are located. Would you like me to tell them about what has happened in the last two years they have missed?" Tony leant back, rubbing his hand on his forehead for a few seconds.

"Yeah. Tell them about the team. Don't tell them about Peter yet." Tony replied, looking back at the ship. It was a bluish-purple colour, and it was fucking humongous. It was no doubt from an alien planet, but Tony had no idea which. He knew there were other planets out there, like Asgard, but he had no idea where they were or what they looked like, or who lived on them. How had Hulk even gotten into space in that Quinjet? "Tell them to stay until I get back. Is Loki with them?"

"He is not." Tony's heart sank to his shoes. "I am currently enlightening Mr. Odinson and the Hulk about the Civil War that occurred two years ago. Mr. Odinson is very confused while the Hulk is angry. They wish to speak with you. Would you like me to put them through? I suggest that you-"

"No. I need to talk to them in person." Tony replied, standing. "Get me the earliest flight you can tomorrow morning. Peter needs to sleep."

"Of course." FRIDAY obeyed, the room falling silent as Tony processed what was going on. Bruce and Thor were back on Earth, but Loki wasn't. Bruce was still the Hulk, and Tony wondered what exactly had gone on up in space if Thor had managed to come across him. He wondered where the Quinjet had been abandoned. "I have gotten a flight for ten in the morning on your private jet, Sir. Is that alright?"

"Perfect." Tony agreed, already wondering how everything would get transported to the Compound. He could probably use everything that was still there, and just take the important things. Just like he had done when he had been coming to the mansion. God, he didn't want to leave. He never did. Staying in Malibu was always pleasant, and it kept him away from the majority of his problems. 

He left the lab and began cleaning things up, grabbing the still-full bag from their beach day and began putting Peter's most beloved items inside. A few toys he always seemed to go back to, like cars and teddies, and then some bottles filled with water. He added two or so pacifiers he found lying around, putting them into the small pocket in the front before heading down the hallway. There was where he ran into Happy, who looked confused.

"What're you doing?" He asked, looking at the backpack and then to Tony. "We going somewhere?"

"Thor's back. Haven't you seen the news? Hasn't FRIDAY told you?" Tony replied, his heart aching painfully for a reason Tony didn't know. He frowned when Happy shook his head. Tony had never told FRIDAY to tell him, so she didn't. Right. "We're leaving at ten tomorrow to get back to the Compound. Bruce, well, the Hulk, is there too. I need to contact Pepper, May and Rhodey."

"I can call them." Happy offered, something passing over his face that Tony couldn't decipher. "You can continue packing."

"Okay." Tony knew he should do it himself, but to be honest, he was exhausted, and they had probably all seen the news already anyways and were trying to contact them. If they were, FRIDAY wasn't alerting him, so he pushed it out of his mind for now. He rubbed his temples, jumping when Happy clapped him on the shoulder. He now had a saddened look on his face, and Tony had no idea why. "What?"

"You're sad." Happy answered, lifting his hand. "You like having toddler Peter around."

Tony looked away, chewing on his lip. Was that really the case? "It's what Peter wants, and it's what I want."

"I know." Happy replied, smiling sadly. "You'll still have him. He'll just be older, like before. Annoying like before."

"Yep." Tony walked off with the faintest of smiles, slowly entering Peter's room. He walked over to the crib and stared down at the baby for a few moments, feeling a hollow feeling in his chest as he reached down to smooth out his child's hair. He had become used to having Peter so young, though he hadn't noticed until now. He couldn't believe he sort of wanted Peter to stay like this. That was selfish, even for him. "Jesus, buddy. You have no idea."

Peter stirred but didn't wake up, cuddling the Iron Man teddy closer to him with a few suckles on the pacifier. Tony remembered back to earlier that day at the beach, only now just noticing how much fun he had, and wondered if he would ever get to take Peter to the beach again. Big or small.

Now he was just being dramatic. Everything was going to be fine.

With that, Tony left Peter's beside and disappeared into the bathroom, managing to squeeze some of the bath toys into the backpack before zipping it shut. Diapers and such would have to go in another bag, Tony only feeling like he was relieved about one thing. He wouldn't have to change the diapers anymore.

But even now, he knew it hardly bothered him anymore. It was something else he had become used to.

He left Peter's room quietly, grabbing a plastic bag from the kitchen to use for the diapers later. He could figure that all out in the morning when he told Peter what was going on, deciding on heading down back down to his lab. He could hear Happy talking on the phone in the living room as he walked past, wondering which of the three people he could be talking to. He wondered if they were angry that Tony hadn't been the one to call them.

But he couldn't. More so, he didn't want to. He couldn't believe how... sad he felt about the knowledge that Peter might finally be going back to normal. Back to Spider-Man. What if he didn't get his powers back? What if he didn't get his teenage headspace back? What if he didn't want to be around Tony anymore because he was embarrassed of all that had happened? It had almost been a month, or had been over a month. He had no idea how much time had passed by now.

Tony knew that the last possibility was the one that scared him the most.

So, instead of sleeping like he really should be, he busied himself with suit upgrades.

He did his best to push away the thoughts prodding at his mind, and for the entire night until morning, he worked on his suits and tried not to think about the inevitable.

Peter was going back to a teenager, and as much as he would most likely miss toddler Peter, it is what it is.

Unless, that is, that Thor couldn't find Loki.

There was always that possibility, and he had completely forgotten about it until now.

But Peter needed to go back into a teenager. He had friends, his Aunt, school. A life. Tony did want the old Peter back, but he knew he wouldn't mind in the slightest if that wasn't possible. He guessed Thor's arrival was what triggered his brain into realising how much he actually enjoyed having a baby around. 

He sighed deeply, almost throwing his screwdriver across the room in frustration. Of course, without even realising it, he had become even more attached to the kid. He was aware he had become attached when he was still a teenager, too. Despite the countless tantrums Peter had thrown and how he had acted so annoyingly that Tony wanted to dump him in someone else's hands, having a toddler around really wasn't as bad as he had thought in the beginning. Is this really what parenthood was like?

He rested his head in his arms and closed his eyes. He was sick of thinking.

He felt like he would be doing a lot more of that once he got back to the Compound.

He couldn't fucking wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> pleaseeeee comment below, i really love hearing feedback (good or bad) and both help me keep writing the sequel for this!
> 
> also if you can't tell i love beach fluff


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay sorry that this is a little later than usual, there's a lot of stressful things going on in my life right now which caused me to forget about it. i have heaps of school tests and there's a fire near my house, so i'm very stressed out at the moment!
> 
> but, here's chapter 18. personally, i love this chapter. peter is so precious.
> 
> i hope you guys enjoy!

Tony was having a bit of a hard time trying to figure out how he was going to tell Peter they were moving back to the Compound. Peter seemed to love it in Malibu, and was currently asking if they could go back to the beach, and Tony didn't have the heart to tell him what was actually going on. He was giving Peter another bath so he felt better on the plane, letting the kid play with the few bath toys Tony had left in there for this time exactly. He had a boat that spurted water, which always made Peter giggle like mad as Tony washed his hair, Tony raising his eyebrows when the toy boat splashed him in the face more than once.

Tony had taken a while to figure out that Peter was no longer afraid of water. He thought all the way back to when Peter had wet the bed the first time and Tony had given him a bath, and how he had cried and sniffled the entire time. Now, he was smiling and laughing, playing with his toys without a care in the world. That was a big difference in teen and toddler Peter Parker, and Tony couldn't help but feel grateful for it. 

"Petey, I need to tell you something and you need to listen." Tony said, and when Peter didn't look up from his toy, Tony reached over to take it. Peter whined in distaste and made grabbing motions for the boat when Tony took it away from him, expression confused as he looked between Tony and the toy. "Are you listening to me, Peter?"

"Yes, Daddy." Peter whispered, playfulness and fussiness disappearing as he stuck the tip of his index finger in his mouth, brown eyes the size of dinner plates surprisingly focussed on Tony. Tony's heart jumped every time Peter called him by that title, and this time was no different.

"I got a call last night." Tony said, fiddling with the toy boat in his hands. "Do you know who it was from?"

"Peppo!" Peter exclaimed, eyes and face lighting up with hope. "May? Whodey?"

Tony felt his own face fall. "I wish it was them, but no." Peter's face fell, too, his finger once again disappearing behind his lips. 

"Who call?" Peter asked, slowly lifting his arms up. Clearly, bath time was over, and Tony was dropping the boat back into the water and grabbing a towel. He lifted Peter out and wrapped him up, sitting the kid right in his lap so they were facing each other. "Bad?"

"No. Not exactly." Tony mumbled, sighing and looking away from Peter. "Well, let's just say that Thor's back."

"Tor?" Peter asked, this time, actually getting the T sound. "Back?"

"Yeah. We gotta get back to New York." Tony sighed, knowing what was coming. "We're leaving on a plane in an hour. I got the call while you were sleeping, I'm sorry I didn't let you know earlier. I didn't know what to say."

"Pwane?" Tony looked back to his kid, cursing quietly when Peter's bottom lip began to shake. "No pwane. Pwease."

"There's no other way." Tony wiped Peter's tears before they fell, then began to dry him off. "Besides, you'll get to meet Thor and Bruce. Won't that be fun? I know you've always wanted to meet them. Teen you would never shut up about meeting the Avengers."

"Bwuce Banner?" Peter whispered, letting Tony dry his hair. "Tor?"

"Yep." Tony stood up, keeping Peter wrapped up in the towel. "Then soon enough, you'll get to be big again. You can go back to being Spider-Man."

"Spida-Man." Peter whispered when Tony carried him into the bedroom, drying him off better after laying him down on the changing table. Peter's chin was wobbling again, and Tony knew just then that teen Peter was here with him right now. He could see it in the kid's eyes, and he had seen it for a split second at the beach a day prior. Tony sighed, already taping the diaper onto him to avoid any accidents while they were talking. "No powers?"

"You don't have them at the moment, no." Tony winced when Peter's face scrunched up, like he hadn't realised he didn't have his powers anymore until this very moment. Tony rubbed Peter's stomach, deciding to put him in another onsie so he was once again more comfortable on the plane. He chose a Thor one. He could just imagine the look on the God's face when he saw it. "Don't worry, bud. I'll figure something out."

"Don' wanna go on pwane!" Peter sobbed after a few seconds of silence, Tony's heart twisting painfully in his chest from where he was picking out some socks. He walked back over to Peter, who was kicking his legs out as he always seemed to do when he was upset, reaching up at Tony with helpless grabbing motions and small whining noises. Tony quickly grabbed each foot and pulled the pale blue socks on them, making sure everything was right before gathering his kid and gave him a hug. "Pwease, 'ony."

Tony. Peter hadn't called him Tony for a while now, and he was confused by the sadness he felt deep in his gut.

He ignored it.

"I'm sorry." Tony whispered, gathering diapers and other things to put in the plastic bag he'd left in the kitchen. "But you'll get to see Pepper again. Don't you want to see Pepper?"

"Peppo." Peter whispered, still hiding his face in Tony's neck. "May?"

"Yeah. May too. Happy called them, I assume they'll be at the Compound when we get there. Maybe even Rhodey will be able to make it. You like Rhodey, don't you?" Tony replied, grabbing the abandoned pacifier and Iron Man teddy, offering both to the child. Peter took them, staying in Tony's arms for the trip into the kitchen, Tony depositing the diapers and other supplies into the plastic bag. Happy had most likely already packed the car for them, so he left the bag on the counter and took Peter over to the window that overlooked the ocean. "We can come back here when you're big again. I can actually take you on a Jetski. You can even drive it if you want."

"Don' wanna 'o." Peter whispered around the pacifier, now peeking out of Tony's neck to also look out the window and completely ignored what Tony had said. "Tor come 'ere?"

"He can't." Tony sighed, wiping away his kid's tears. "The plane ride will be just like last time. We won't fall."

"Don' wanna." Peter muttered again, turning his face and nuzzling his nose into Tony's cheek. Now, if his nose wasn't snotty and wet, the gesture would have been cute. Tony's nose wrinkled in disgust, though he didn't say anything, letting Peter cuddle closer to him as he stared out the window. "Pwease, Daddy."

"It's going to be fine." Tony said, finally turning away from the window. "I'll be with you. Just like last time, remember?"

Peter whimpered, and Tony decided to take him away from the window, not liking the memory of when they had first arrived, and Peter had been plastered to the glass as he looked out to the ocean, even though it was hardly visible in the darkness. Tony found himself really, really not wanting to leave either. It was nice having a break from the real world, and this mini version of Peter had made everything feel so much less lonely than usual.

He had never even felt like this when Pepper was here.

It was a split second thought, though Tony knew for a fact he would be thinking about it again later.

Was this was parenthood felt like?

Toys and other things alike were still strewn across the living room, most of the things identical to what was already back at the Compound. He walked through it all, taking Peter back into the kitchen. "You hungry?"

Peter shook his head, so Tony let it go. They didn't do much for the final hour of peace they had, Tony letting Peter wander around by himself. He brought toys over to Tony, asking for help either building Legos or doing some simple puzzle that teenage Peter would have scoffed at. Tony wondered if Peter really already knew how to do it, but wanted Tony to do it with him.

When Peter was back, Tony was definitely asking what it was like to be in a toddler headspace, and if he was aware of everything he was doing and how Tony was caring for him. If he remembered anything, that was.

God, Tony hated that possibility.

It was when Happy came walking into the living room when Tony asked FRIDAY for the time, cursing when he realised they were already half an hour late. He scooped Peter off of the floor, grabbing all the important things he had brought out with him, including the pacifier and the Iron Man toy, and also the plastic diaper bag from the kitchen. Peter clung onto both, once again nuzzling into Tony's cheek with a whimper.

They said nothing as Tony grabbed some small shoes from Peter's room, Happy leaving the car door open for them and standing by it. He went through the usual routine of placing and buckling Peter in the car seat, buckling himself as well as Happy closed the door. The car was moving before he knew it, Tony concentrating on getting the sneakers onto Peter's socked feet. The kid was looking out the window, suckling quietly on the pacifier, his Iron Man teddy pulled up right to his face as he did so. Tony couldn't resist caressing the boy's cheek with his hand, running his thumb over his eyebrows.

Peter leaned into the touch, his eyes closing. Within seconds, he was fast asleep, which was a little surprising. Tony hadn't realised how tired Peter had been looking until that very moment.

The drive was quiet, and soon they were boarding the plane after making sure there was no press around to take pictures of them. He sat with Peter on his lap, resting his cheek on the side of Peter's head, kissing his temple as the crew and Happy got themselves settled for take off. Peter woke up during the take off, immediately bursting into tears and trying to turn himself around in Tony's grip. Tony let him, cuddling his boy close and let him sob into his chest. 

Once they were airborne and the tears had subsided, Tony let Peter play with one of the StarkPads for most of the flight, only having to get up once to change a diaper. Tony couldn't help feeling a bit sad, watching Peter play one of the kids games FRIDAY must have installed before they had left. He wasn't going to lie, he was going to miss having toddler Peter as company. He couldn't believe how attached he had become in such a short amount of time, rubbing Peter's tummy when he began fidgeting to get into a more comfortable position.

Tony didn't sleep on the plane this time, simply looking out the window after giving Peter a bottle of water to drink. The kid fell asleep soon after and stayed like that until decent, Tony simply rocking and wiping Peter's tears away when he cried from the downward motion of the plane and the popping of his ears. Tony couldn't stand watching him cry like that, knowing that he was scared because his actual parents had died in a plane crash. It reminded Tony of when he found out what really happened to his parents, and that Steve had kept it from him. They had both lost their parents.

Tony sighed, shaking his head. He needed to stop thinking like an angsty teenager and actually grow up a little. There was no use dwelling on the past, and he had to look after Peter now. Thinking about Howard only reminded him of his own parenting techniques compared to his father's, and he didn't want to delve into that now. He had been doing pretty good at avoiding Howard's A+ parenting during Peter's time as a baby.

When the plane finally touched down, Peter relaxed almost immediately this time. Tony placed a kiss on his forehead, wiping the remains of his kid's tears away as the plane was taxied. "See, buddy? We're fine. Nothing to be afraid about."

"Scary." Peter muttered, his little voice shaking. "Wanna 'o back 'o Mali-o."

"I wanna go back too." Tony sighed, standing from his seat when the plane stopped moving and he was allowed to get off. "But you want to get big again, right? We can go back after you're back to normal. How does that sound?"

"Wanna ride a je'ski." Peter whispered, pressing his face into Tony's collarbone.

"Well, that's what we'll be doing first, then." 

He stepped off of the plane after Happy gave the all-clear, carrying Peter over to the car and setting him in the carseat. Thankfully, whoever had ordered the car had known to put one in. Peter didn't whine when he was put in it, this time, simply sitting there with his eyes half-closed, tears still staining his cheeks. Tony sighed, exhausted, sitting back and staring at the roof.

"How did they take it?" Tony asked, referring to May, Rhodey and Pepper.

"Pepper won't be able to visit until next week." Tony sighed, deflated. "Rhodey too. May will be able to visit tomorrow. I've organised with her to pick her up."

At least one of them could make it. "Thanks, Hap."

"No worries."

Tony ended up dozing on the drive back to the Compound, waking up to the feeling of drool running down the side of his mouth. He wiped it away with his sleeve, blinking himself awake as he realised where they were. They were, in fact, back in the Compound, inside of the garage. Happy had the door open for him. From here, he couldn't see the huge-ass spaceship parked next to the Compound, which Tony couldn't decide if that was a good thing or not.

Tony looked over to Peter, who was now awake, one arm reaching out for him with opening and closing fingers. Tony gathered himself and unbuckled his boy, getting himself out of the car before grabbing Peter. "Wanna walk?"

Peter shook his head, so Tony kept him perched on his hip, making sure he had everything he got in the car with. Happy already had the bags, so Tony led the way. 

Once he was inside the lift, he began speaking to FRIDAY. "Where's Thor and... the Hulk?"

"They are on the communal floor, Boss." Hulk. On the communal floor. Hulk. How had he even gotten inside without breaking anything? "Hulk appears to be very calm, and is currently interacting with Thor. I have alerted them of your arrival, and they are currently waiting for you to arrive. Would you like me to take you there."

Tony shook his head. "No. Peter's not going anywhere near the Hulk."

"Okay." FRIDAY replied. "To your private floor?"

"Yes. Let the others know I'll be there soon."

"Of course."

Tony sighed, not even noticing he had been bouncing Peter around in his arms the whole time. Peter still looked a little groggy, his right index finger fiddling with the loop on the front of the pacifier, the other holding his Iron Man by the head. He looked seconds away from dropping it.

Once the doors opened, Tony was blessed with the sight of his less-attractive home in the Avengers Compound. He sighed deeply, carrying Peter into the floor with Happy following behind him, ignoring the wave of nostalgia that smacked him in the face when he saw all the items thrown across the place from the last time they had been there.

"Hey, Hap, could you look after him while I talk to the big guys?" Tony asked, setting Peter on the floor. He expected Peter to run off to his toys, but instead he clung onto Tony's pants with one hand and still held the stuffie with his other. 

"Of course." Happy didn't seem as annoyed when Tony asked him to look after Peter, now. The kid seemed to have grown on the both of them. "Come on, Pete."

Peter began shaking his head, eyebrows furrowing. "Nuh-uh."

Tony's eyebrows raised slightly, gently prying Peter's hand away from his jeans as he knelt down to his level. Peter only latched onto his jacket, his huge eyes boring into Tony's as the man studied him. "What's up, Petey?"

"Don' leave Daddy." Peter said, his voice shaking, his bottom lip quivering. "S'ay."

"I need to talk to Thor and Hulk, bud. I won't be long."

"Pe'er come?" Peter asked, looking hopeful, more of Tony's jacket being screwed up in the toddler's grip. "Pe'er mee' Tor and Bwuce?"

"Not yet." Tony sighed when Peter's face crumpled a little. "I don't want the Hulk to hurt you, kiddie. He's very big and dangerous."

"Bu'... bu'..." Peter seemed to panic, dropping the Iron Man teddy and letting the pacifier fall out of his mouth. Peter latched on with his other hand, trying to climb into Tony's arms. Tony felt horrible when he gently pushed him away, managing to detach one hand to hold it with his own instead. "Bu' Daddy ge' hur' by Hulk!"

"I won't get hurt." Tony winced, rubbing Peter's knuckles. "I'll be fine. I'll be back soon, Happy'll look after you."

"No, Daddy." The waterworks began once again. "S'ay."

He nodded for Happy to pick Peter up. When the man grabbed the kid's waist, Peter outright wailed, trying to keep his old on Tony who felt like the worst person in the world. He stood up and turned around, trying to tune out Peter's pitiful crying as he got into the lift. He never would have expected for someone to be crying after like that, hearing the words 'Daddy, stay!' over and over making his heart ache. But he needed to talk to Thor to figure out where Loki was, and what was going on with the Hulk.

He wiped his face as FRIDAY took him to the communal floor, mentally preparing himself for seeing Thor and Hulk. He wished it were Bruce instead.

He had no more time to prepare when the doors opened, revealing the communal floor. Tony hadn't been there for a long, long time. It hurt too much.

He spotted the huge, green monster and the God within seconds.

They were both different, and Tony found himself gaping slightly. Thor no longer had his long locks, and it seemed to have been shaved off. It suited him much more, in Tony's opinion. There was still a little left on the top and sides, Tony noticing the patterns shaved into it when he turned to the side. There was a patch on his right eye, Tony having no other conclusion other that the man had lost one of his eyes. Tony hardly believed it was there for decoration.. 

Hulk, on the other hand, was still big, green and shirtless as usual. But he also had a hair difference, giving that it was slightly grey on the sides and cut differently. It looked more.. proper, lack of a better word. It screamed Bruce more than anything.

"Stark!" Thor had bellowed, looking relieved, Tony barely having any time to step out of the lift before Thor was wrapping his arms around him in a.. hug. Wow. "Where have you been?"

Tony spluttered, awkwardly hugging the God back. Thor had never hugged him before. "Where have _you_ been?"

"Tin man!" Hulk exclaimed, this weird sort of cheesy grin on his face. Tony felt a little uncomfortable, letting Thor pull away as he stared warily at the Hulk. The mutant didn't come any closer, instead waving over to Tony with his huge hand. 

"Hey, big guy." Tony greeted, fiddling with his hands nervously. He had no idea why Thor looked so relieved to see him. "So, you never answered my question. Where have _you_ been? Why did you land a fucking _spaceship_ on my lawn? What's with the pirate patch? Where is Loki?"

Thor looked a little alarmed, his one eye widening slightly. "Asgard is no longer a planet."

Tony blinked. "What?"

"Ragnarok had to happen in order to defeat my sister, Hela. Who destroyed my hammer and took my eye." Thor continued, looking even more alarmed when Tony gave him a blank look. "My people are inside of the ship. There was nowhere else to land, Midgard is the safest place for them!"

"You have a sister. Who.. who destroyed your hammer. Took your eye." They weren't questions. It was a statement. Thor nodded stiffly, now the one wringing his hands. "Hulk, where the hell have you been?"

Hulk even look alarmed. "Sakaar! Hulk fight puny God!"

Tony stared between the two of them, not believing his life. "What the fuck is _Sakaar_? You know what- never mind. I have bigger issues that you fighting.. um.. puny Gods. God, what the fuck is going on here? It's been two years!"

"What is this Civil War that Lady FRIDAY speaks of?" Thor asked, now looking greatly troubled. "I was not aware of such Accords. Where is the rest of the team? I heard there was a fight between you and Steve."

"They're not here anymore." Tony snapped, ignoring the pang in his chest. "I have bigger issues right now."

"Lady FRIDAY was kind enough to tell me about these Accords." Thor continued, looking troubled. "I would have signed them."

Tony found himself smiling very, very slightly, though he soon became downcast. "Thanks, buddy."

It was silent for a few moments, Tony still feeling uncomfortable with Hulk standing there watching him. Why wasn't Bruce here? Why wasn't Hulk... angry?

Then Tony remembered. Peter. His gratitude morphed into anger, his eyes narrowing in Thor's direction. "Now, what I actually came here to talk to you about. Where is your whack-job of a brother?"

Thor seemed alarmed all over again. "Loki?"

"Yes, Loki. Or do you have another brother, too?" Tony stared at the God, waiting for Thor to answer him.

"I am unsure." Thor sighed, running a hand through his so not-long hair. For a second, he thought Thor meant he might have another brother that he didn't know about, and Tony was just about ready to jump off of the highest balcony in the Compound. His worries were instantly ceased when he realised he was talking about Loki. Luckily. "He disappeared from my ship a few weeks ago, I believe. Why? Has he been spotted on Midgard?"

Tony closed his eyes for a few seconds, shaking his head before opening them. "Your brother has been causing trouble." Thor's gaze hardened. "He used his magic on my ki- intern."

"What has he done?" Thor asked, his fists clenching. "I thought he was past this."

"How many times is he going to betray you for you to notice?" Tony asked, finding himself desperately wanting to go back to Peter. "It's hard for me to explain without showing you. But I didn't want to bring him here because.. y'know."

Tony leant close to Thor's ear, whispering. "The big guy."

Luckily, the Hulk didn't seem to hear him, and Thor seemed to get the memo.

"What do you wish to show me?" Thor asked, crossing his arms, Tony raising his eyes at the man's biceps. They must have gotten bigger since the last time Tony saw him... "I wish to know what troubles my brother has been causing on Earth."

"You'll have to come with me, then." Tony sighed, rubbing his forehead. He hadn't once, let someone onto his private floor, and he wasn't about to let the fucking Hulk onto it. "Come on."

"Thor stay!" The Hulk roared, making Tony almost have a cardiac on the spot. He shoved his hands into his pockets, to hide that they were shaking, turning around to face the Hulk and tried not to show that he was just a little scared of the mutant. 

Thor, luckily, did all the talking. "I will be back soon. Go join the others. I am not leaving."

Tony didn't like the sound of there being others. If that meant more Hulks, well, Tony was a goner. Out of this country would be where he was going, and Peter would be coming with him.

Hulk scowled, or pouted, Tony couldn't really tell, crossing his huge arms and stamped his foot in distaste. Then, he turned around, heading straight for the window. Before Tony could say anything, Hulk was plowing right through the glass window and out of sight, doing nothing to make him feel any better. How the hell had the Hulk gotten in here in the first place?

He could have laughed at the thought of him using the lift.

Tony turned to Thor. "What's the deal with him? Where's Bruce?"

"I am unsure that Banner will be coming back." Thor now looked troubled again, his eyes downcast. "He was Hulk for two years, until he saw the recording of Natasha in the Quinjet. Bruce told me that he felt if he turned into the Hulk again, he might not be able to come back. He turned into the Hulk to help defeat my sister."

"So he's not coming back? For good?"

"I don't know."

Tony sighed, feeling a headache beginning to come on. He rubbed his temples, suddenly feeling defeated as the thought of Bruce not coming back circled around in his mind. He wasn't sure if he could handle yet another person in his life leaving him, even if it wasn't his choice. He jumped when Thor laid a hand on his shoulder, leaning his head as he tried to catch Tony's eye. Tony looked at him, knowing the look of defeat was clear on his face.

"I am sure Banner will return." Thor tried, looking doubtful. "Come on. What is it that you would like to show me?"

"Yeah. That." Tony sighed, shaking himself out of his little, depressive daze. "Right. Let's go."

Tony let the God into the lift, actually feeling a little grateful that Thor had returned. Despite all their drama during Ultron, it felt nice to have one of his old friends back. It was a quiet ride up to Tony's floor, FRIDAY taking them up. Once they reached the floor, Tony expected the doors to open, but they didn't.

"Boss, are you sure you wish for Mr. Odinson to have access to your private floor?" Bless FRIDAY. 

"Yeah, it's okay." Tony replied, and a beat later, the doors were sliding open. That's when the sound of crying hit his ears, and he could see Thor perk up with alarm when he heard it too. Tony led him into his floor, Tony spotting Peter clambering down the hall within seconds. Tony spared a glance to Thor, who was looking down at Peter with confused and shocked eyes, then looking back to Tony, then back to Peter. 

Once Peter had reached them, he seemed to notice Thor's presence. Tony watched the little boy's mouth drop, and in a split second the teen returned, staring up at Thor as if he hadn't seen anyone like him. Which, he pretty much hadn't. A little fist was holding Tony's jeans as he looked over to the God, who Tony noticed was beginning to kneel down to Peter's height.

"Hello, there." Thor had said, his voice gentler than Tony had ever heard it. Peter was looking at him with his fingers now in his mouth, tears still leaking out of his eyes. "Who are you?"

Tony laid a hand on the top of Peter's head, and at that moment, Happy decided to join them. Even the Head of Security's mouth fell agape at the sight of Thor, but Thor didn't seem to notice his shock. Peter didn't answer the God, instead pushing into Tony's legs, hiding his face. Tony didn't miss Thor's huge grin.

"This is Peter." Tony said, kneeling down as well. Peter's arms were instantly trying to wrap around his neck, Tony noticing that the teen look in his eyes was gone already. "He's not actually meant to be this age."

Now, Thor looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"Your brother." Tony spat, letting Peter cling onto him. "Decided it would be funny to turn my kid into a toddler."

"Peter is yours?" Thor asked, something fond passing over his face. It was as if he didn't even hear what Tony said.

"No. He isn't." Tony replied, resisting the urge to slap Thor across the face. He felt it would hurt him more than it would hurt the God, so he resisted the urge and tried to explain the situation to the clueless alien. "He is my intern. As I said, Loki decided it would be funny to de-age him into a toddler. He's meant to be a teenager."

"I did not know." Thor sighed, reaching out for Peter. He rubbed the boy's back, who tensed, his little face peeking out of Tony's shoulder to look at Thor. "I am sorry for my brother's magic, little one. I will stop at nothing to get him back."

Tony felt his heart ache when Peter smiled a little, reaching out with one arm to point at Thor's eyepatch. Thor's face fell a little when Peter ran his small fingers over the patch, Tony looking back to his kid to see a frown now on his face, too. There were still tears drying on his cheeks as he looked at Thor's eyepatch, seeming confused. That's right. The last time Peter would have seen Thor in the media is when he had long hair and both eyes, two whole years ago.

Then, Thor seemed to notice the Thor onsie with his hammer on it. Tony saw a mixture of emotions pass over the man's face, before he beamed. "I like your shirt very much, young Peter. Very good choice."

Peter was smiling again, though he retracted his hand from Thor's face.

After a few more moments of Thor interacting with Peter, Thor stood. "I will contact Strange."

"Alright." Tony said, hoisting Peter up as he stood up also. He looked to the spot where Happy had been standing moments ago, realising that the man was still standing there, a blank look on his face. "How am I supposed to get Bruce back?"

Thor looked a little perplexed, glancing between Tony and Happy. "I would suggest contacting Natasha."

Tony felt his heart drop to the floor. He could feel the wide-eyed stare Happy was giving him, Tony instantly remembering the flip phone. It was in his drawer, in the Compound, just waiting to be used. Though, if he used it, Steve would pick up. He had to go through Steve to get to Natasha, and Tony had no idea if he was willing to do that. But he needed Bruce back, both as a friend and a doctor. 

Thor rested his hand on Tony's shoulder again, his thumb moving slightly in what Tony thought might have been comfort. "If you do not wish to, I understand."

"No. I'll.. I'll do it." Tony unconsciously held Peter closer to him, who seemed to be listening to the conversation. He hardly noticed when Peter cuddled closer to him, burying his face in Tony's collarbone as he was hugged. "I'll do it. Thanks."

"I will return when I have Loki. You have my word." Tony smiled very slightly, nodding, and Thor's hand fell from his shoulder. 

"Thanks, Thor."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i haven't had any time to write past chapter 4 of the sequel, and i'm a little stuck. fun times.
> 
> feedback is always appreciated :)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i saw captain marvel the other day, and honestly, i was a little disappointed. it wasn't as good as everyone hyped it to be :(
> 
> so, i have no idea what to say about this chapter but enjoy??

It was the next day after he had Peter had arrived to the Compound. Tony was currently inside of his lab, the flip phone in front of him on the desk, staring at it as if it were a ticking time bomb about to explode in his face if he got too close. Which, in a way, it kind of was a bomb. It was innocently sitting there, taunting him, screaming at him to stop being such a pussy and to just do it. This could either go terribly wrong, or equally terribly right. Tony wasn't sure which he was more afraid of, but then again, there was that undertone of anger with Steve and the rest of the Rogue Avengers lurking within reach, and he so desperately wanted to grasp it.

Peter had left earlier that morning for a day out with May, which was fair, since the two hadn't seen each other for weeks. He and May had made that decision an hour into her stay, and she promptly took him out to the park with Happy. Tony decided to not tell May about Peter getting so sick, letting in slide as he gave Peter a little hug goodbye. He pretended not to notice the way Peter tried to hold onto him and convince him to come with them, and also pretended not to notice the kid bury his face into May's shoulder when he said no.

He would be lying if he said he didn't feel terrible.

Thor had gone out yesterday afternoon, a little after Tony arrived, to look for Loki. Tony felt at loss of what to do without Peter here to look after or Thor to talk to, leaning on his desk as he stared at that stupid flip phone. Was he really going to call Steve Rogers? After all this time and telling himself that he wouldn't need the Captain's help? Was there really a fucking spaceship outside of his home filled with aliens?

Well, he didn't need Steve's help, really. He needed Natasha's. Tony knew she was with him in Wakanda, and the easiest way to contact her was to go through Steve. He couldn't be bothered trying to get into Wakanda, and calling Steve seemed to be the safest and easiest option.

But at the same time, it wasn't.

Tony was, to be truthful, terrified of talking to Steve again. He knew he could just probably contact T'Challa, and he could get Tony into Wakanda somehow without being detected, but talking on the phone to Steve was easier than facing him in person. It was even harder knowing that he didn't even need Steve, and didn't have to talk to him. But of course, the bastard hadn't put anyone else's fucking contacts in the phone. Just his.

So, here he was, sitting here helplessly as he hesitated. He had to deal with that fucking spaceship outside, giving that he hadn't even gone over to inspect it yet, and he just knew Thor had brought all his alien friends. He had no idea how many people were actually inside of it, and even if there was only twenty, there was no way Tony was letting anymore aliens live inside of his Compound. Nope. No fucking way. They could find somewhere else, Tony was done being the person who housed and did everything for everyone.

It sounded selfish, but he was tired of it. He had enough people use him for the money over the years. Maybe that's why he feels so comfortable with Peter, knowing that the kid couldn't possibly be using him for the money. He never had been, even when a teen.

Tony hated the fact that he was becoming a sentimental person. Sympathetic. A fucking sap.

With a deep sigh, he picked up the dinosaur phone and opened it. Steve's number appeared in front of him after a few clicks of the buttons, Tony staring at the words with unfocussed eyes. There was a chance that Steve didn't even have his phone on him anymore, and it was very likely that he could have given up after the first few months.

Tony groaned, thumb hovering over the call button. Now or never, right?

So, he did it. He pressed the button, and the phone began to dial the number Steve had put into the phone. He pulled it up to his ear, chewing on his thumbnail as he listened to the phone ring. His heart dropped considerably when Steve didn't pick up, and Tony contemplated giving up right there and then. Bruce wouldn't be returning if he couldn't get Natasha here, and Tony needed Bruce. He needed his Science Buddy, the doctor, and pretty much just a friend. He didn't have many of those these days.

So, Tony called again. Steve didn't pick up.

He called a third time. No answer.

Fourth, nothing.

He slammed the phone back on his desk, burying his head in his hands with a heavy sigh. Maybe Steve had actually gotten rid of the phone after all, and Tony would have to break into Wakanda to approach them himself. But he couldn't leave Peter here by himself, and there's no way he was sending him through more plane trauma, let alone going to Wakanda. He wouldn't.

He was pretending not to notice the kid's sudden clinginess (more than usual), and he was pretending that every time Peter cried when Tony put him down wasn't affecting him. He had no idea why Peter had suddenly grown so attached, and he didn't like it one bit, and it all seemed to be happening ever since Tony had told Peter that Thor had returned, and that was only yesterday. Things had already changed so much, and Tony hated it.

He had been deep in thought when the flip phone started ringing, vibrating across the table and almost falling off of the edge. Tony stared down at it in shock. DUM-E beeped and clicked around him, poking at him, as if he were telling Tony that he should answer it. Tony, being Tony, let it ring out through his hesitation and panic, cursing under his breath as he picked up the thing after DUM-E nudged it over to him. He pressed call as soon as he had the phone in his hand, before he could opt out of it.

This time, Steve answered. There was a long, stretch of silence, and all Tony could hear from the other end of the phone was someone breathing. It was definite that there was someone there, but there was no telling that that person was Steve.

His question was answered not even a second later.

"Tony?" Tony jumped, almost dropping the phone, his stomach lurching?. "Are you there?"

It was Steve alright. Tony's insides curled with discomfort, the memory of Steve slamming his shield down on Tony's chest haunting him. He didn't say anything, the panic almost consuming him, thinking of Peter and what he might be doing with May right this very second. It was confirmed right then that Tony was missing Peter, and he had hardly been gone for a few hours. God, what was it going to be like when Peter was back to normal and living back at May's? This was not a good time for him to realise how attached he was.

"Tony?" Steve repeated, sounding a little concerned but also hesitant. Good.

"Cap." Tony finally replied, hearing the hitch of breath on the other end of the phone. Tony was beginning to feel a little angry now, clenching his fist under the table. He wasn't surprised that just the sound of Steve's voice was hurting him, which then caused him to think back to Peter for some strange reason. He was doing this for both Bruce and his kid, and he wasn't going to wuss out of it just because he was uncomfortable. He was a Stark, after all. "I have an issue."

"What?" Steve asked instantly, as if he had been waiting for Tony to call with something like this. Tony couldn't help but feel even angrier, his eyebrows furrowing at the thought. Steve didn't deserve to think that after all the shit he pulled that broke up the Avengers, but here he was, calling the bastard with one issue out of many. "Tony?"

Realising he had been sitting there thinking too long, Tony sighed. "As you would know, Thor and Bruce are back."

"We heard." We. "Is there something wrong?"

"Everything is wrong, Rogers. Bruce is the Hulk. Thor told me that there's a possibility that Bruce isn't coming back."

"What?" Steve sounded... appalled? "What do you mean?"

"What the hell do you think it means?" Tony snapped, wanting to crush this stupid flip phone in his fist. "Bruce may not be able to transform back from the Hulk, and I need your help. Well, I need Natasha more than I need you."

Tony could feel the hurt pouring out of the phone, but he didn't give in to the guilt. Steve deserved it.

"I can get her on the phone." Steve sounded a little more reserved now, though his voice was wavering slightly. Good. "How are you, Tony?"

Tony laughed, though there was no humour. "Oh, fan-fucking-tastic, Rogers. Fucking amazing. How's Wakanda?"

Tony heard Steve splutter.

"What, did you think I wouldn't know where you were?" Tony's words came out short, but he found that he didn't care. "Don't worry, I won't sell you out to Ross. I would have done that two years ago if I wanted to, and you know I don't want that."

"Did you have a baby?" It was Tony's turn to splutter, wondering why Steve had decided to ignore everything he had just said, just so he could ask if Tony had a fucking baby while he was gone. Of course they would have seen the news. Of course they would be keeping tabs on him, he knew that was definite. He shouldn't even be surprised that Steve was asking him, because everyone knew that Anthony Stark was not capable of looking after a child.

But Peter was alive and happy most of the time, and it seemed Tony had been going pretty well thank you very much. Despite how much he would love to shove it in everyone's face, he swallowed it down and focused on the sheer abruptness of Steve's question.

"Excuse me?" Tony snapped, eyes narrowing. He stared at the spanner on his desk, feeling an overwhelming urge to hurl the metal thing across the lab.

"We saw it on the news." So, they had been watching him. "Is it yours?"

"No, he's not, actually. He's Sp-" Tony paused, hardly realising he almost outed Peter's identity without even thinking twice about it. "You know what? I'm not talking about this with you. I have bigger problems right now, and I need Natasha to get her ass to the Compound right now. I have a Hulk I need to figure out and a Loki to track down, so if you don't fucking mind-"

"Loki?" Steve asked, sounding shocked all over again. "What about Loki?"

"Come on, an alien fucking spaceship lands next to my Compound and you're asking me if Loki is here. Steve. I need Natasha. Now." It fell silent. Tony took a few minutes to breath, the anger fading a little as he did so. He missed Steve, and everyone else, he really did, even though he didn't want to admit it. But he couldn't help but wish he never called in the first place. He felt the blood drain from his face when a new voice filled his ears, a wave of nostalgia smacking him in the face.

Tony had never really been a nostalgic person, but listening to both Steve and Natasha's voice was seriously messing with him.

"Tony?" It was Natasha alright, and her voice was reserved as ever, giving off no indication on how she was feeling. "You there?"

"Nat." Tony whispered, biting on his lower lip. "You know Bruce is back, right?"

"I do." There was still no emotion in her voice. "You have a kid?"

"I don't have a fucking kid." Tony snapped, almost kicking over his desk in frustration. "This is not what I'm calling you or Steve to talk about. I'm talking about Bruce. I need Bruce back, and you're the only one who can get him back. I'm asking for your help, Natasha, because I actually care about my friend."

There was a long, long stretch of silence, and voices could be heard in the background. He assumed she was talking to the other Rogues, Tony's blood running cold when the thought of Wanda being there and listening ran through his mind. No fucking thanks will he be facing that bitch anytime soon, no thank you. There was definitely no way Peter would be going anywhere near her. She would not be coming anywhere near this Compound.

"I know you do." Natasha replied after several moments, her tone now restrained. "I know."

"This doesn't tell me anything." Tony snapped, beginning to feel impatient. "Are you going to help me or not? Because I have no idea what the fuck I am supposed to do with a Hulk in my building, a bunch of aliens outside of it in their huge ship, while my kid is inside the same building."

There was another pause. "I thought you didn't have a kid."

"For fuck's- it's complicated, alright?" Tony growled, rubbing his face with his free hand. "Please, Natasha. You have me begging here, I'm desperate. Thor's gone, he's looking for Loki, I have no one else. Please. You know the Hulk and Bruce the best, and you were what got Bruce to transform back from the Hulk after being him for two years. Two years!"

"Two years?" Natasha repeated, her tone back to the flat, blunt one. "He was Hulk for two years?"

"According to Thor, yes. Your message after Ultron brought him back."

"Really?" Natasha asked him, her voice now wavering a little. "I didn't know the Quinjet was still online."

"That's not the point." Tony said, his knee bouncing under the table. "Please. Will you help me, or not?"

"Fine." Tony felt relief flood into his system, leaning his elbow on the desk's surface with a shaky sigh. "I'll have T'Challa get me out of Wakanda undetected. I can get into the Compound without Ross seeing me, I know I can do that."

"Come alone." Tony mumbled, knowing that the others were most likely listening to this whole conversation. "I swear to God, I can't deal with anymore surprises. I can't."

"Surprises?"

"It's complicated."

There was more silence, and rustling on the other end of the phone. Tony had no idea what to do now, now feeling anxious about seeing Natasha again. They hadn't really left off on a good foot, either.

"I'll leave tonight." Natasha broke the silence, making Tony jump. "I should be at the Compound in a few days."

"And how exactly will I know when you're arriving?"

"You'll know. Goodbye, Tony."

She hung up on him before he could say anything else, leaving Tony feeling a little empty. She had been short with him, as he had been with Steve and her, so he knew he shouldn't be affected by it because he acted the exact same. Everything seemed to be testing his patience now, which caused him to hold the flip phone in both hands, one hand on each side of the phone, where the two pieces joined being in the middle.

He hesitated for only a moment before snapping the phone in half, tossing the pieces onto the floor with a clatter. There goes his last form of contact with his old friends.

He bent over his desk with an exhausted groan, reaching out to gently pat both his bot's claws when they rolled over to comfort him. They beeped affectionately, Tony just knowing that FRIDAY was watching and already preparing alerts for when Natasha was spotted. How she was going to get in without tripping any alarms or alerting Ross, Tony had no idea. But this was Natasha he was talking about.

So, within half an hour, he promptly drifted off into the land of his nightmares, the faces of Steve Rogers and Natasha Romanoff being frequent faces in his dreams. He woke up with a jolt when someone patted his shoulder, gently, though it still caused him to rocket out of his chair and onto the ground with fright.

He groggily looked around, three blurs of people standing around him. Someone was crouching in front of him, their clothes all black and white, Tony barely registering that it was Happy Hogan with his hand on his shoulder.

"Tony? You need to breathe." Tony couldn't breathe, and Happy telling him this only alerted him to the fact that he wasn't breathing. Why wasn't he breathing? "Tony. You need to calm down. Look at me."

Nope. Tony had no idea what was going on, and he hardly had the time to register the smaller form moving into his vision. His panic began to slow when a hand, significantly smaller than Happy's, rested on his cheek and stayed there for a few seconds, before the body moved closer and wrapped it's arms around Tony's neck. A hug.

Tony's arms automatically wrapped around the tiny body, the fog in his mind clearing as he brought the kid- Peter, into his arms, resting his cheek on the side of the boy's head, right by his ear. It was then when he realised how sweaty he was, his lungs desperately heaving in air as he hugged Peter close. Had he really just had a panic attack in front of the three- wait, three of them?

Oh, great, May had witnessed everything too.

Peter began pulling away, and Tony let him. Peter only moved back a little, looking at Tony in the eye, pacifier bobbing in his mouth. "Daddy hur'?"

Tony smiled sadly, shakily, rubbing Peter's back for a reason he didn't know why. Peter wasn't the one having a melt down this time. "Just a bad dream. Daddy's fine."

Tony froze.

Did he really just call himself Daddy?

He was going insane.

Peter was frowning, or pouting, Tony didn't know which. "Daddy sad."

"I'm fine." Tony glanced up at May and Happy, who both looked like their hearts had been yanked out of their chests and thrown off of the top of a building. Tony hated that look, though he didn't have nearly enough energy to glare at the two of them, and instead, looked back to his kid. "Don't worry about me, bud. How was your day with your Aunt?"

"Fun." Peter murmured, turning around to look at May, who was smiling. "Wen' 'o da park."

"Did you?" Tony smiled, beginning to wonder how long he had been asleep for. "What else did you do?"

"Ice cweam." Peter was still whispering, his hold tightening around Tony's neck. "Miss Daddy."

Tony's heart pounded. "You missed me?" Peter nodded, then buried his face in Tony's neck. Tony looked back to Happy and May, who both had pity, concern and fond looks in their eyes. Happy was still crouched down next to them, his hand returning to his shoulder when he and Tony's eyes met.

"You alright?" His friend asked, squeezing his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. I just..." Tony trailed, shifting Peter into a more comfortable position. "I called Cap."

Happy's eyes widened. "You did? How did it go?"

"Not that great." Tony's eyes drifted to the floor, and just behind Happy where he could see, there was one half of the flip phone laying on the floor. "I talked to Nat. She's coming to figure out the... green situation."

"How is she going to-"

"I don't know."

Happy nodded, seeming to understand. Then, May spoke up.

"I better get going, Tony." She had said, smiling softly as she moved over to them. Tony flinched when she set a hand in her hair, gently running her fingers in it like he had done to Peter on many occasions. "I hope you feel better. I'm sure Peter will cheer you up."

"How are you so okay with this?" He asked out of the blue, looking up at her.

"I'm not. I don't like the fact that the Hulk is just outside..." May's face tensed, and the hand paused. "But I trust you, and I know he'll be safe here."

Tony nodded, keeping his hold on Peter. He had no idea if the kid was even still awake or not.

"Peter, I'm going now." Peter moved, peeking his head out, and Tony's questions were answered once again. "I'll be back in a few days, okay? You be good for Tony."

"Bye-bye." Peter whispered, hugging May with one arm when she bent down. She kissed her nephew's temple, smiling softly at Tony before leaving the room. Happy left shortly after, and with that, Peter and Tony were the only ones left in the room. Peter began tugging on his diaper as they sat there on the floor of his lab, and Tony knew he was already back into this parenting-thing.

He hauled himself off of the floor, briefly pausing when Peter reached out for the broken phone. Tony let him take the pieces, the kid studying them the whole way to the bathroom as he suckled on the pacifier quite noisily. He refused to let go of them as Tony set him down, deciding that maybe a bath wasn't that bad of an idea.

"Wha' 'his?" Peter asked when Tony began stripping him, somehow getting his arms out of the shirt without having to take the phone pieces away.

"An old phone I was... experimenting with." Tony replied as he got Peter's pants off, then the diaper. He lifted Peter into the tub next, already set on cleaning him off. Tony had given him a bath the night before, so all his bath toys were already there, and the kid had let Tony take the phone pieces in turn for his favourite boat toy. "Do anything else interesting with May today?"

"Saw.. saw Ned!" Tony's eyes widened very slightly.

"Did you?" He asked, gently wetting Peter's hair. Somehow, he had gotten the hang of this. "What happened?"

"We pway! He- he couldn' beweive i' was me!" Peter exclaimed, seemingly quite cheerful all of a sudden. It helped improve Tony's sullen mood, smiling gently as Peter tried to explain the whole story with Ned with a pacifier in his mouth. "We pway wiv Wegos. New S'ar Wars!"

"That's cool." Tony murmured, getting ready to get rid of the shampoo. "Close your eyes."

Peter did as he was told, squeezing his eyes shut. Tony got it done quickly, sitting back at let Peter play with his toys for a while. It was nice, seeing him carefree, instead of clingy and scared that Tony was going to leave at any given moment. It was already terrifying that the boy had witnessed his panic attack, and he had been doing a pretty good job of avoiding that topic. Since they had gotten back, Peter only seemed to be happy during his bath time, which this was only the second.

After almost an hour, Tony coaxed Peter out of the bath and into a diaper, then into a Spider-Man button-up pyjama shirt. He refused to put on pants, which seemed to be a reoccurring event. So, Tony let him go without, surprised when Peter let him put some matching Spider-Man socks on his feet. The whole time, Peter wouldn't let the pacifier leave his mouth, which Tony had to admit was a little strange.

On their way out of the bedroom, Tony grabbed Peter's Iron Man teddy before carrying him into the kitchen, setting him on the counter and began talking to FRIDAY. "What time is it?"

"Seven fifty-eight in the afternoon, Sir. You were asleep for approximately five hours and twenty-four minutes."

"Thanks Fri." Tony replied, gathering some food for Peter who now looked downcast. Tony frowned, pausing what he was doing to stand in front of his kid. "What's wrong?"

"Scared." Peter was reaching for him within seconds, and Tony settled for gently holding his hands. "Big.. big spaceship ou'side."

Tony tried not to let his sadness show. "I know, I know. It scares me too, Petey. I don't like it either. But there's nothing we can do yet."

"Wanna 'o back 'o Mali-o." Peter said shakily, chin wobbling. "Don' wike here."

"Neither do I." Tony sighed, pushing Peter's fringe out of his eyes. "It'll be alright."

"Hungwy." Peter declared, and Tony continued making a little meal for his kid, and then himself. They ate quietly, Peter sitting on his lap, Tony feeling a little nervous once again about their company outside. Though, he didn't want to face it.

They sat there for a while, until Peter began to noticeably doze. Tony took him to his own bedroom, making sure to grab both the teddy and pacifier, briefly checking Peter's diaper and declaring it clean. He laid down, pulling the covers over the both of them, the bed smelling of a mixture of both Tony and Pepper. Peter was lying on his side, facing Tony, pressed as close as humanly possible.

Tony found it comforting, having such a small child with him, wanting his comfort. It was a nice feeling, which led Tony to wrapping his arms around Peter's small body and pressing a kiss to his curls.

"Goodnight, bud." He whispered, already knowing that Peter was asleep, but said it anyways.

He didn't fall asleep for another two hours, and when he did, for once, there was no nightmares to greet him.

He slept peacefully, with his child in his arms, ignoring the alien persistent presence outside of the Compound.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> soooo what did you guys think?
> 
> feel free to leave feedback :)


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 5 more chapters to go, we're on the home stretch now ;)
> 
> i'm making some major modifications to the sequel since i fucked up some stuff... i'm hoping i allow myself enough time to post these last five chapters with a decent amount written for the sequel so i don't fall behind, because writing chapters then publishing them always makes me lose interest in fics.
> 
> i'm also making this into a series, so if you want to bookmark it earlier, you can. i'll probably post an extra 26th chapter so everyone who wants to read the sequel will know about it..
> 
> anyways, enjoy :)

Thor returned to the Compound not even a day after he had left.

Tony had thought that he had come back with Loki, at first. He had been slightly happy, slightly sad, immediately letting FRIDAY bring Thor to his floor without asking if there was another person with him. Peter had been half asleep on his shoulder, giving that it was early morning, hardly aware of what was going on as Tony stood up and headed towards the closed lift doors with excitement mixed with dread. He knew the dread was the dread of seeing Loki again, who he hadn't seen since New York.

Disappointment was prominent when the doors opened to reveal Thor, alone, a troubled look on his face. "I need to speak with you."

"What is it?" Tony asked, hefting Peter a little higher as he allowed Thor to walk into his floor. He saw the man's eye soften when they drifted to Peter, though it became troubled once again when he met Tony's eyes with his one. "Thor?"

"I need a strand of my brother's hair." Thor said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Strange cannot do the spell without it. If he is not on Earth, I will need to use the Bifrost. My good friend Heimdall may be able to see Loki, wherever he is, but I am unsure if it will work."

Tony blinked. "Why don't you just get your friend to... see him?"

"Heimdall is not well." Thor mumbled, his one eye looking down at the floor. Tony sighed, gesturing for Thor to follow him. The God did so, silently following him down the hall and into the living room. Tony sat down, Peter in his lap, now looking more awake now as he looked up at Thor with huge eyes. "I wish for you to look inside of my ship."

Tony gulped, letting Peter down when he began to suddenly whine, kicking his feet to let Tony know he wanted out. He looked away from Thor, watching his kid as he toddled off in the direction of his toys, jumping when the kid accidentally stood on one of his toy cars which slid out from under him. He fell over with a soft thud, luckily not hitting his head, and didn't even seem fazed in the slightest. Tony was a little concerned by the boy's new behaviour, but he let that thought slide as he looked back to his friend. "Why?"

"I want you to know who is staying on your land." Thor replied, looking guilty. "I know you don't approve."

"Yeah, I don't." Tony sighed, leaning his elbow on his knee and chin in his hand. "Y'know, not so fond of aliens."

"They are not like the Chitari." Tony's heart almost stopped, images of the wormhole floating through his mind as he looked at the coffee table. "They are my friends, and my people. Some of them we picked up from Sakaar."

"What was Hulk doing on.. Sakaar?" Tony asked, looking up when a hand set on his knee. Peter was standing there, holding a small action figure that was definitely Thor, though no longer looked like him. The figure had both his eyes and long, blonde locks, and Tony knew for a fact that the man beside him was a different one from the one he had seen after Ultron. "Where's the Quinjet?"

"The Quinjet is destroyed." Tony nodded, placing his hand on Peter's upper back. "I was going to use it to get back to Asgard, but the Hulk followed me. He destroyed it while turning back into Banner."

"Right." Tony replied, not looking at Thor but at Peter. "Whatcha doing, buddy?"

"Don' look wike Tor anymore." Peter whispered, his brown eyes looking over to Thor. "No hair."

"Looks like your favourite Avenger got a haircut." Tony smiled slightly, turning his head just in time to catch Thor's fond expression. He sent Peter off by gently nudging him, Peter nodding to himself in some silent agreement before he toddled off yet again.

"You have a beautiful child, Stark." Thor said next, smiling with all teeth showing. Tony shrugged, not bothering to correct him, leaning back on his hand. 

"When did you find Bruce?"

"I was sent to fight." Thor began, his eye watching Peter. "To get out of Sakaar I had to fight the Grandmaster's Champion, and of course it was Hulk. I won, obviously. It seems as though he was killing for sport."

"That doesn't sound right." Tony replied, smiling slightly at the look Thor gave him. That didn't erase the fact that the Hulk had pretty much been killing people in combat for the last two years, and that there was no Bruce in between. He did not like the thought of Peter being anywhere near the Hulk.

"I would like you to come see my friends. They mean no harm." Thor continued, his expression returning to that troubled one. "I am afraid I have to get back to Strange, I do not want you to be the repercussion of my brother's mischief."

"Fine." Tony sighed, sitting up and leaning back against the couch. "I'll get Happy to look after Pete. Fri, tell Happy to get his ass up here. Peter, come here."

Peter turned around from where he had been building something in Lego, pacifier back in his mouth as he began to push himself up. Peter looked very nervous, almost scared, as he walked over to Tony, half-raising his arms in the request of being picked up. Tony did so, placing Peter on his lap before caressing his face. "I gotta go for a bit. Happy's going to stay with you for a while, alright?"

Tony didn't expect Peter's face to scrunch up so fast, and he definitely didn't expect Peter to clutch onto him and begin wailing. Thor looked just as shocked, his one eye widening as Tony tried to keep Peter from clinging onto him like a koala. The kid was outright bawling his eyes out, trying to wind his arms around Tony's neck, his face turning red rather quickly.

"Baby, what's up with you?" Tony asked quietly, trying to caress Peter's face, letting the pet name slip without even realising. The kid yanked his face away from his hand, though continued to try and get his arms around Tony's neck while sobbing and whining. It looked like a tantrum, though Tony was unsure whether to call it that. "Peter, you gotta calm down. You're going to make yourself sick again."

"It seems he does not want you to leave." Thor chimed in, moving over to sit next to Tony, slowly reaching out to set a hand on Peter's small shoulder. Peter absolutely lost it, both flinching away from Thor's gentle touch and screaming very high pitched, making both the God and Tony wince. Tony could hear the sound of the lift as soon as Peter's screech finished, indicating that Happy had in fact arrived.

"D-Daddy s'ay!" Peter wailed somewhere in between his sobs, confirming Thor's assumptions. "No go."

"I have to." Tony sighed sadly, still trying to pry Peter's hands away as Happy entered the room. "Just let Happy look after you, you'll be fine. I'll be back soon."

Happy leant forward and placed his arms around Peter's waist when he heard his name, and much like a few days ago, he attempted to pull Peter away from Tony.

The kid let out another terrifying screech of protest, clutching onto Tony's shirt so tight that the material actually ripped underneath the kid's closed fists. Somehow, after ripping huge holes in Tony's shirt, the kid managed to worm out of Happy's hold and fully clasp onto Tony, holding on like a koala. It was evident that no one was going to be able to get Peter off of Tony now.

What if Peter's powers were coming back? He shouldn't have been able to rip Tony's shirt as much as he had, and he shouldn't have been able to wrench himself away from Happy so aggressively. Did that mean the spell could be wearing off, or Peter had his powers the entire time and lied about it?

God, he had no idea, and the thoughts and his kid's crying was just giving even more of a headache.

"Kid, you're scaring me." Tony mumbled, sharing a glance with Happy and then Thor. "I don't want you going anywhere near that spaceship. It's not safe yet. Don't you understand me, bud?"

"No." Peter whimpered, tensing up. "Pe'er come wiv Daddy."

"It's not safe." Tony repeated, sharing a helpless look with Happy who looked just as shocked as he felt. They had already gone through this when they first arrived, but it hadn't been as bad as this. Tony was sure there was something else the kid was neglecting to tell him, and he was going to make sure he asked him when all of this was over. "Pete, I don't want you getting hurt."

"I assure you, he will not get hurt." Thor cut in, his hand landing on Tony's shoulder. What was with everyone clapping him on the shoulder lately? "The Hulk will not harm the little one. My friends will not, also."

"Thor..." Tony whispered, feeling all his resolve beginning to crack. If May knew what was going on right now... "I don't want him in there. Hell, I don't want to go in there."

"Everything will be fine, Tony. I believe you will feel better when you realise there is no threat."

Thor, was somewhat, right. He was constantly on his toes, waiting for both aliens and Natasha to appear out of nowhere and attack. He was terrified that Peter would somehow get hurt because of him, and he just really wished he could have stayed back in Malibu where everything was much easier, and Peter was happier, and there was no Hulks or aliens just outside their front door. Even time couldn't tell if things were getting better or worse, since Peter was still a toddler and Loki was still missing.

"Looks like you're coming along, Peter." Tony sighed, rubbing his son's back. "Please stop crying. You know I hate it."

Peter didn't stop, but he began to calm ever so slightly, so Tony counted that as a win for him.

"Are you sure you don't want me to look after him?" Happy asked, wringing his hands with what Tony would think was nerves.

"It's alright." Tony sighed, getting himself up off of the couch. "Go relax. Everything's going to be fine."

Happy did as he was told, leaving the lift reluctantly when they reached his floor. Tony and Thor continued down to the garage, simply because there were less people down there and there was less of a chance of getting seen by the countless interns on the lower floors. He felt his heart rate gaining momentum when they got closer and closer to the ship, though he did feel better about being concealed by the trees. As soon as he had thought about the trees covering them, the fallen ones came into view, and soon Thor was helping him get over them with the precious cargo in his arms. Peter was silent, hiding, and definitely sucking on his thumb.

Tony hesitated once they reached the clearing, the open hatch of the spaceship right in view. Thor hadn't noticed he'd stopped, only realising once he had reached the top of the ramp.

Tony watched the God frown, before the man made his way back down the ramp and over to them.

"I assure you, Tony, that there is no threat here. Any threats were destroyed on Asgard." Thor's face fell a little when he mentioned his planet, though it was gone within seconds. Tony said nothing, letting the God place a hand on his upper back before slowly making his way over to the ship. Terrifying images of what could be inside lurked at the front of his mind, holding Peter close as they made their way up the ramp. God, if May knew what they were doing.

Tony was a terrible parent.

They didn't encounter anyone until they were well inside the ship, Tony's insides curling as Peter began peeking his head out to look around. Thor's hand never left his back, leading him around the maze of a ship until the first sounds were heard. If half of Asgard was in here, where the hell were they all? 

Tony had reeled back when someone came out of one of the doors, Peter's head immediately going back to Tony's collarbone as he took several steps back. Thor kept him steady, Tony glancing at his friend to see his reaction, relaxing slightly when he saw the bright smile on his face. Slowly, Tony turned his head back to the woman, who had a soft smile on her face. It faded when she looked at Tony.

"Who is this?" She asked, looking him up and down. Tony felt uncomfortable under her stare, and for one of the first times in his life, he was speechless. This woman, like Thor, looked like a fucking God, and he didn't feel like getting on her bad side. "He is human."

"Yes. This is Tony Stark. He owns the building outside." Thor told her, his hand now on Tony's left shoulder. "This is his son, Peter." 

"Hi." She replied, nodding her head, before looking at Thor again. Tony was too busy furrowing his eyebrows at the title Thor had given Peter, hoisting the kid a little higher on his hip as he did so. "What are they doing here?"

"I wanted to assure them that there is no threat." Thor replied, and the woman nodded a second time. "This is Valkyrie."

"Girlfriend?" Tony asked out of the blue, not missing their little glances with each other. The woman- Valkyrie, narrowed her eyes at him, making Tony feel nervous. Peter was peeking up again, Tony deciding to look at his kid instead of the stranger in front of him. His eyes were bright with wonder. At least someone was enjoying this experience.

"Come on." Thor pushed him gently, and Tony began moving. To his dismay, Valkyrie walked with them all the way until they reached a door at the end of the hall, the two of them talking amongst themselves. They had to be dating. Tony was pretty stupid, but he wasn't that stupid. 

Thor pushed the door open without a worry in the world, his hand falling from Tony's back as he entered the room. Tony stayed outside, warily looking around the ship, jumping when he made eye contact with Valkyrie. She said nothing, eyeing him up and down once again, before looking back to Thor who was rummaging around the bed that was inside of the room. It took Tony a while to figure out that this must have been where Loki was staying while he was here, his suspicions confirmed when Thor came out holding a long strand of black hair. 

"That was easy." Tony commented, already letting Thor guide him out of the ship. He hated it in here. He had to get himself and Peter out before the Hulk appeared, or before some sort of crazy alien army came and killed them all.

Now, he knew that was hardly possible, but he couldn't help but think of New York. Peter should not be inside of this ship, and Tony should have forced him to stay with Happy. God, what was he thinking? He couldn't imagine what Pepper, Rhodey and May would think of him after they found out they had taken Peter inside of here. He was a complete idiot.

There was no such luck in getting out of the ship quickly, because Thor was leading him in a different direction to where they had come from. The three of them stopped when they heard thundering footsteps, Tony taking several steps back in fear as the Hulk came clambering down the hall, face alight with a smile. Terror was clear as Tony hurried to place himself behind Thor, shielding himself and especially Peter from the green monster that was coming their way.

"Tin man!" Hulk exclaimed, screeching right to a halt in front of Thor and Valkyrie. "Little girl! Thor!"

"Hey, big guy." Valkyrie commented in what Tony might have thought was a fond tone, causing him to look up. Looks like they were friends, too. "You know... Tony?"

"We worked together." Tony replied quietly, letting Thor stand in front of him. The God didn't move. Peter was looking up a the Hulk with no fear in his expression, mouth hanging open in what seemed to be childlike amazement. Peter still wasn't talkative, merely taking in everything around him as the Hulk stood there, smiling, seeming way too cheerful for the Hulk that Tony had known. What the hell had gone on up in space for the rage monster to turn into this? It was almost as if he were a hyperactive four-year-old. When Thor had told him about the fighting, he hadn't thought the Hulk would act like this. He was expecting Hulk to be even angrier than he was. "Avengers business."

"Avengers." Tony took more steps back when Hulk suddenly became angry, clenching his fists as he spat their team's name. "Puny Avengers."

"What?" Tony asked, finding it hard to look at the Hulk when there was a chance that Bruce would never come back. Natasha seemed to be their last chance, but there was no telling how long it would take for her to get here. The Hulk was a very, very painful reminder of who they could lose.

"Hurt Tin Man." Hulk growled, making a punching action with both of his hands. "Hulk smash. Tin Man become a Revenger?"

"No smashing." Thor finally said, raising his hands. "They are not here. No, Stark will not be a Revenger."

"Revenger?" Tony questioned at the same time as Thor spoke, his mind momentarily taken off of the fear he was feeling. "What, did you rip off the Avengers?"

"We were a team." Thor replied, looking between Hulk and Valkyrie. "We were all getting revenge, so, Revengers." 

"Right." Tony mumbled, tensing up when Hulk began muttering things under his breath, towering over the four of them. Then, he suddenly pointed at Tony, making him jump and reel back quicker than he ever had before. "Small Tin Man!"

"Hulk." Peter murmured at the same time, Tony realising with slight horror that Hulk had been pointing at Peter, not him. Peter, in turn, was staring up at the green giant with adoring eyes, seemingly not afraid in the slightest of the thousands of dangerous outcomes. "Wow."

"I need to get out of here." Tony found himself saying, feeling his heart rate speeding up considerably the more the Hulk looked at them. There were aliens in here, and he had no idea where they were, or how many of them there were. Thor seemed to catch on to this internal panic, gesturing for the Hulk to move with both arms, Peter looking at Tony with huge, and now scared, eyes. Tony pretended not to notice that very teenage-like concern in his eye. "Get me out."

"Do not panic." Thor said, still gesturing for the Hulk to move. "Move, Hulk!"

Hulk seemed offended, turning around and stomping away like an enraged toddler. Thor lead Tony away, Valkyrie going after the Hulk, Tony recognising that he was being lead in the same direction they had been to get here. He was finally able to breath again when he was out of the ship and underneath the trees, Thor walking silently beside him as Peter cuddled into his chest. "Wanna be big again."

"I know you do." Tony whispered, glancing at Thor. He could still see that during all of that, he had managed to hang on to that one strand of hair. "You will be. Soon. Thor's working on it. That was scary, wasn't it?"

"No." Tony's eyebrows raised, his heart continuing to beat fast. "Hulk cool."

"My God." Tony whispered, feeling his chest beginning to close in on itself. "Do you have any idea how much danger I just put you in? Fuck."

"It's okay." Thor butted in, not touching him. "The Hulk will not harm either of you. He has changed since Ultron."

"I bet." Tony wheezed, hardly relaxing when they made it back into the garage. "I don't want to be anywhere near him until Bruce is back. I don't want Peter near him at all."

"I understand." Thor replied, smiling softly. "You do not have to."

"Damn right." Silence followed as Tony stepped into the lift, Thor staying outside.

"I will continue my search for brother." Tony nodded, Thor's smile beginning to fade. "Again, I am sorry."

"Don't." Tony sighed, rubbing his face. "It's fine."

Thor nodded once before turning around, and that's when FRIDAY seemed to take the cue to close the lift doors. Tony didn't fully relax until they had reached his floor, though that moment of calm did not last when he realised he and Peter were not alone. Standing in his living room, was James Rhodes, who was not supposed to be coming for another week or so.

"Platypus?" Tony spluttered, quickly taking in the look on his best friend's face. "What're you... what're you doing here? I thought you weren't meant to be coming until next week."

"I got time off." Rhodey replied, his tone short. "What's this about Happy telling me you took Peter into that thing outside?"

"I-" Tony hesitated, letting Peter down when the kid demanded so. They paused their conversation as Peter ran- or more so toddled over to Rhodey, hugging his knees. Tony watched as his friend's face softened, picking up Peter and giving him a hug. The man glared at him over Peter's head, Tony knowing he was going to get an ear full when Peter wasn't in the room. "It's- it's complicated. Thor wanted me- wanted me to know that they aren't a threat- and-"

Tony was all over the place, his heart was still racing, and he was on the edge of another panic attack. Speaking with Steve and Natasha, visiting that ship and Rhodey's appearance was already sending him into another downward spiral, trying not to remember his panic attack after waking up the day prior. He had been so content, away from all of this in Malibu, where it was just him, Peter and Happy. He, himself, had been happy and felt safe, even if he didn't really realise it until now. He did not feel safe here.

Rhodey seemed to notice his panic, his face falling. "Come over here, Tones."

Tony did as he was told, which was quite rare of him, sitting down next to Rhodey and Peter. Peter seemed to have noticed the shift in conversation, his eyes now filled with concern as he looked between the two men. Tony wasn't sure how he felt about that, once again, teenage spark in his eyes. He felt better with the toddler Peter knowing jack shit, but when he was conscious, Tony knew he would remember this when he aged back up. 

Rhodey took Tony's hand in his, squeezing slightly. "You need to breathe, Tony. Don't panic. I'm not mad just... concerned."

"I k-know." Tony shuddered, hating that Peter was right there watching the whole thing. "Fuck."

"Hey, language." Rhodey was smiling, causing Tony to send a shaky one back. "So, tell me about Malibu."

Peter seemed to take that as an invitation, beginning to list of literally everything they had done, Tony finding himself slowly calming down as he listened to the toddler recite their little holiday. This was a very teenage Peter trait, but it seemed as if any sign of the older persona was completely gone once again. Tony still loathed that his kid was going through all of this.

"We wen' 'o da beach!" Peter exclaimed, smiling cheerily. "Park!"

"Did you?" Rhodey exclaimed right back, using a high-pitched voice like many parents did with their children. Tony wondered if he had been doing the same thing without noticing, because he hadn't remembered a single moment where he had raised his voice like that. Maybe he would have to ask Happy... "Was it fun? Did you behave yourself for Tony?"

"Yes!" Peter squealed, little arms flailing. Now this was the Peter that Tony preferred. "'ony a good Daddy! Go' 'o mee' Tor and da Hulk!"

Rhodey spluttered, sounding like he was choking on his spit. "Daddy?"

"Yeah! 'ony!" Peter pointed to Tony, seemingly unaware of both of their shock. So Peter had been voluntarily calling him Daddy this entire time, when he could have just called him Tony? 

He wasn't sure if that made him feel any better about the situation.

"Daddy took you to meet Thor and Hulk?" Rhodey questioned, very slowly looking up at Tony. "How did that go?"

"Tor is very cool." Peter replied, meeting Tony's eyes. "Hulk cool. Bu' he scare Daddy."

Tony looked away, setting his arm on knee and chin in hand. He bit his lip, not liking that Peter had actually taken in how terrified he was. Jesus, Peter should be terrified! The Hulk had been just a few feat away from them, and could kill them with one punch. Now, Tony had never really been scared of the Hulk before, because he was always in his suit. But having Peter in his arms and no suit scared the living daylights out of him, and his only protection really had been Thor. He had no idea how strong that Valkyrie girl was. Valkyrie didn't even sound like a real name.

"Did he?" Rhodey asked, his eyes softening with worry when Tony turned back to meet his eye. "That wasn't very nice, was it?"

"No." Peter shook his head, pouting slightly. Tony still hadn't figured out this child's mood swings. 

It fell silent after that, Peter soon sliding off of Rhodey's lap and over to his toys, much like he had done when Thor had arrived. So, Tony turned to Rhodey, who was already opening his mouth to start talking. Tony didn't stop him, simply settling on watching Peter play with some of his toys, letting himself consume the love he was feeling. Because really, he needed it right now.

"Something else is wrong." Rhodey had said, his hand still holding Tony's comfortingly. "Tell me."

"Bruce might not be coming back." Tony sighed, rubbing his face in exhaustion. "I called Steve. I talked to him and Nat. Nat's coming, but I have no idea when, to get Bruce back to Bruce if she can. I told her to come alone, but I really don't believe she will."

"You called Rogers." Rhodey repeated, looking angry when Tony looked for his reaction. "You should have called me, I would have helped out. I would have come earlier."

"No. Don't worry." Tony sighed again, feeling like he was doing that a lot. "I'm fine."

"How did Malibu actually go, Tony?" Rhodey asked, leaning over slightly. "I want to hear it from you."

"It was great, actually." Tony replied, silently wishing to be back in his mansion. "Ups and downs. But it was good, less stressful. I figured out my shit with Pete, and believe me, I figured it out. Pep came, there was a bit of.. yeah. But we figured that out."

"That's good to hear, Tones." Rhodey smiled, squeezing his hand. "I can tell you're whipped for the kid. Parenting is good on you."

"Pepper said the same thing." Tony said, not even bothering to hide it anymore. "Never thought I'd have to act like a Dad."

"He even calls you Daddy. When did that start?" Rhodey asked, the two of them sparing a glance to Peter. There was no sign that the kid was listening, but for all Tony knew, he was hearing every word they were saying. The ripping of his shirt was still present in his mind, which caused him to look down. He must look pretty fucking stupid with two holes in his shirt, almost in the perfect spot to show both nipples.

"A little after we got to Malibu." Tony replied, looking away from his mess of a shirt. "He got the Stomach Flu a few weeks ago. That wasn't great."

"I bet." 

"I want to go back. I hate it here." There was a stretch of silence after that, and Tony had to look at his friend to see his reaction. Rhodey looked like Tony had just shot him, his face showing an expression that Tony couldn't really decipher. "What?"

"You need to sleep." Rhodey changed the subject, letting go of his hand and patted his knee. "You look exhausted."

"I am, platypus. I am. But I don't wanna leave him." Tony looked over to Peter, who still showed no indication of hearing them. "Huh. Never thought I'd be emotionally attached to a kid, who isn't really my kid, who isn't really a baby."

"You were attached to him when he was fifteen, Tony. You already thought of him as your child. You're both oblivious." Rhodey chuckled, patting his knee again. "It looks good on you."

"Yeah, yeah." Tony grumbled, feeling the ache in his chest beginning to ease. "I don't like changing diapers though."

"Oh, I already knew that." A pause. "Where's Thor? FRIDAY said you were with him."

"He's out looking for Loki." Tony stated. "Don't know how long it'll take."

"Everything'll be fine." 

"I hope so."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tony and thor's brotp has me crying in the club
> 
> don't ask about heimdall i just needed a convenient excuse... soz
> 
> omg i bought the cutest little iron man plushie that reminded me so much of this story


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i kind of like this chapter but eh
> 
> i was planning on posting earlier than normal, but then my shit storm of a week ruined everything and i've just been busy every day. but here we are, i hope y'all like it

It had been five days. Five days, no Thor.

On the fourth day, Pepper had come home. Peter had refused to let go of her for the first four hours, clinging onto her as he had been clinging onto Tony for the rest of the days, crying when anyone would attempt to remove him. Tony never tried, it mostly being Happy and Rhodey who were trying to detach the kid from Pepper's clothing. Unlike Tony, he didn't rip her clothes up like he did his.

Truth be told, Tony had zero clue what was going on with Peter's spider powers. It might just have been that Peter really didn't want to let go, or it was a once-off. There was no more abnormal strength moments, and there was definitely no wall-climbing or sticking to the ceiling. Peter never indicated if he still had his heightened senses or not, but he seem to have no idea that Tony had spoken to Captain America, or that the Black Widow was currently on her way to the Compound. Maybe, he was just naturally a really strong kid that could rip up Tony's shirts.

So, Tony needed Bruce more than ever. He didn't feel like getting anymore blood samples from Peter, because that would just be traumatic, and FRIDAY didn't seem to have any idea of what was going on either. Every time Tony would ask, he would get the same answer. There is nothing abnormal in his vitals, and it would be recommended to take another blood test. Tony wasn't getting that done until Bruce was here.

Peter only began to truly grow hysterical was when he left the room. Tony hadn't been expecting it, since the kid had been clinging onto Pepper since he had arrived, so he had decided after hours of trying and ignoring the budding jealousy, he decided to get up and take a shower. As soon as he had left the room, there was a strangled cry of disapproval, which sent him running straight back into the room in the fear that Peter had hurt himself somehow.

It was in that moment he realised he was actually becoming a bit of a helicopter parent. The amused look on his fiancé's face just confirmed it, causing him to roll his eyes.

Peter had been sat on Pepper's lap, reaching out for him with one of the saddest looks on his face, bottom lip wobbling. So, Tony headed over to them, sat down and held his kid's hand. It seemed, that Peter didn't want to be without Tony or Pepper, and hardly kicked up a fuss when either Happy or Rhodey left the room.

So, the next day, the fifth day since Thor had left with that one strand of Loki's hair, Tony was currently sat in the bath with Peter, Pepper on the side trying to clean the kid off. Tony had been flabbergasted when Peter demanded he get in with him, and had told the kid straight up that it wouldn't be happening, but here he was. Here he was, in the bath getting his boxers all wet, with a naked toddler who seemed to be doing everything in his power to make Pepper have a hard time washing him. Tony could see the annoyance in her eyes, but decided not to comment.

"Peter, honey, can you just let me clean you? Then you can play." Pepper tried reasoning for the thousandth time, sighing and leaning against the side of the tub when Peter straight up ignored her. "What have you done to him, Tony? He's so rude. You've turned him into you."

It was lighthearted, Pepper merely testing for a reaction. Peter's head shot up, an offended pout appearing on his face, bottom lip pushing out as his head then whipped to face Pepper. "Daddy good!"

"Daddy's good, is he?" Pepper asked, smirking at Tony who rolled his eyes. She began to clean Peter while he was distracted, keeping up the conversation so he wouldn't notice what was actually going on. "You know, Peter, you act exactly like him. No wonder you're so rude."

"No' rude!" Peter snapped, arms crossing over his chest. "You rude!"

"So I'm rude?" Pepper asked, chuckling sweetly. "I can't wait to tell you about this conversation when you're older."

Somehow during all of that, Pepper had washed Peter's body, and was now wetting his hair. "No!"

"Oh, yes. Tony has a lot more stories than me, I'm sure." Pepper said as she massaged in the child shampoo, Peter turning to Tony with an angered look, raising his arms in a silent demand to be held.

"Nope. Sorry buddy, not yet." Tony poked the kid's nose instead, smirking when Peter whined and smacked at his hand. "Let Pepper wash your hair. Then we can get out of here and play in the living room. I'm getting cold, you know."

Peter glared at him, but let Pepper wash his hair. Over the last five days, Peter seemed to become a lot happier since they arrived back in the Compound, which had been a good thing to decrease Tony's worries and thoughts about their visitors outside. Tony still thought about them, obviously, having FRIDAY keep tabs on who left and entered the ship. The only person who had left was the girl who was definitely Thor's new girlfriend, and that had only been for a few moments before she went back in. Whoever else they were hiding in there never came out, and Tony felt grateful.

What he didn't know couldn't hurt him.

(It definitely could).

Soon, Tony was finally out of the bath and was drying Peter down, which for some reason he refused to let Pepper do. He refused to let Pepper diaper and dress him, too, though Tony found he had no problem with it as he taped up the diaper and put on a Spider-Man t-shirt and matching dark blue pants.

Rhodey was in the living room when the trio entered, smiling softly at them as Tony set Peter down. Tony and Pepper sat side-by-side on the couch, holding hands, quietly observing Peter as he dragged Rhodey over to play with him. Tony didn't miss how the kid glanced over at them every few minutes, as if they were about to disappear.

As there had been many changes since leaving Malibu, this seemed to be the biggest.

Pepper had been there for only ten minutes until her phone was ringing, and she was talking angrily into it seconds later. Tony didn't listen to the conversation, only knowing that it would end in Pepper having to leave to fix something with SI.

When the phone call was over, she turned to him. "I'm sorry, I have to go for the day. There's a problem wi-"

"It's fine." Tony said, smiling sadly at her. "It's fine, Pep."

"I'll be back tonight." She replied, giving him a kiss. "I'm really sorry."

Tony hadn't noticed that Peter seemed to catch on to what was happening until he started crying, the two of them turning their heads to see Peter trying to peel himself away from Rhodey, who was holding him by the hips with a strained look on his face. Tony felt his heart clench painfully as Pepper headed over to his kid, kneeling down and gently cradling his face. What she was saying, Tony couldn't hear, but it seemed to make Peter cry harder and reach for her more forcefully.

Then, she was standing up and turning around, giving Tony a kiss on the forehead before leaving. Rhodey only let go when they heard the lift leave, Peter running straight over to Tony and shoved his thumb in his mouth, reaching up for his other hand. Tony lifted Peter into his arms, wiping at his tears sadly as he tried to self-soothe. "Pepper'll be back tonight, bud."

"Wan' Peppo now." Peter mumbled around his thumb, free arm around Tony's neck.

Rhodey came to sit next to them, a saddened expression on his face. "Don't you want to play with me anymore?"

Whatever Rhodey was trying to do, it seemed to work, because Peter seemed horrified. "Pway?"

"Yeah. Don't you want to keep playing?" Rhodey asked, pretending to wipe a tear. "You're making your Uncle Rhodey really sad. No one else wants to play with him."

Tony's eyebrows shot up. "Excuse me? Uncle?"

Rhodey ignored him. "Tony doesn't want to play with me. He's a loser."

Peter giggled through the tears, looking at Tony when he scoffed. "Pway?"

"Knock yourself out." Tony replied, rolling his eyes fondly. "Off you go, play with your... your Uncle."

Rhodey sniggered. "Come on, kid."

Peter slowly allowed himself to be lowered to the floor, wiping his tears away, slowly shuffling back over to his toys while Rhodey held his hand. Tony leant back with his hands under his head, staring up at the roof as laughter finally began to fill the room again, all thoughts about missing Pepper seeming to disappear for now.

Soon, Peter got tired, and became cranky. Tony was currently holding his kid, who was sucking on his pacifier angrily as he stayed firmly planted in Tony's lap, squeezing his Iron Man teddy so hard Tony wondered if it's head would pop off. That would definitely cause some drama, and Tony wasn't sure if he could be bothered trying to find another toy exactly like it.

"Come on, Peter, just go to sleep. You know you need it." Tony sighed, rubbing his back. Rhodey had left an hour and a half ago, ever since Peter had been showing signs of needing a nap, exclaiming he had to go talk to Happy. Tony had just simply rolled his eyes, taking Peter into his arms and sitting with him until he finally fell asleep. "Kiddie, what's up with you lately?"

Peter didn't answer, stubbornly turning his face into Tony's chest while fisting his shirt.

"Why do you make such a fuss when I leave the room? You were okay with that when we were in Malibu." Tony continued, rubbing Peter's back, hoping that he would get an answer. "You gotta talk to me, bud. When you're a teen again you better tell me what went through your tot mind. If you remember it, that is."

Peter still didn't answer, pulling his face back out of Tony's shirt and shifted around to get more comfortable.

"Are you listening to me?" Tony asked, poking Peter's side. The kid squirmed, eyebrows furrowing in crankiness. "Either you sleep, or you talk to me."

Peter huffed, reaching up to wipe his left eye with a clenched fist. "Don' wike here."

"I know you don't. Neither do I." Tony replied, sighing. "But that's not what I was asking."

"Scared." Peter whispered, pressing closer to Tony this time. "Don' wan' people 'o see me."

"Aw, shit, kid." Tony sighed again, looking away from Peter. 

"Wan' 'o be big again." Peter said next, which had been something he was mentioning a lot lately. Tony was beginning to wonder if it was his fault, that he was doing a bad job of looking after the kid and he wanted to get older again because of it. "Emb- embwassed." 

Tony had to smile at the way Peter completely butchered the word. "Why are you embarrassed?"

"You have 'o look af'er Pe'er." Peter replied, reverting back to talking in third person. Tony often wondered if that was a thing kids did often, but never got round to asking FRIDAY or anybody else about it. "Gwoss."

"You're not gross." Tony shut down that thought immediately, focusing his attention back the tired toddler in his arms. "You can't help it."

"Don' care." Peter grumbled, though snuggled into Tony's chest nonetheless. 

"Is it 'cause I'm doing a bad job? Is that it?" Tony couldn't help but ask, no longer able to see Peter's face.

"No." Was the kid's simple and grumbled reply. "Good Daddy."

"Well, I'm glad then."

It fell silent after that. Tony found himself lost in thinking about how there seemed to be both toddler and teenage Peter this time, being that they were talking about such a heavy topic but the kid still called him Daddy. Tony never, in a million years, would think to be called Daddy by anybody. He was never even supposed to be a Dad.

The silence dragged on for a while, Peter's body beginning to loosen as he fell asleep. Though, before he could fall asleep and Tony could get him into his bedroom, FRIDAY's panicked voice came through the speakers of the living room. Tony had shot up so fast in fright when he heard his AI's voice, startling Peter and making him whimper.

"Boss, I need to warn you that Ms. Romanoff, Mr. Rogers and Mr. Barton are currently in the lift on the way to your personal floor." Tony's eyes almost fell out of his head, holding Peter tight (probably too tight) against his chest as his blood ran cold. "I am unsure how they managed to slip past my security protocols, Sir. This is the first I have seen of them inside of the facility, and I am aware of some cameras down. I am suspecting that I have been compromised."

"What?" Tony snapped, standing from the couch while cradling Peter protectively. "Stop the lift! They can't come up here. Lockdown protocol! Now!"

Tony was very aware of the way Peter was clinging onto him, the whimpers in his ear making Tony even more panicked. Peter was scared. 

Natasha hadn't come alone. Of course she hadn't. He had been naive to think she would, and he had been ignoring the fact that Steve could very well sneak around with her. Tony couldn't see Steve again. He wasn't ready for that, and he was not ready for Steve and Clint to collectively see him with Peter. He could just imagine what would go down, and what he was thinking was about to happen.

And it seemed like what he was thinking exactly was about to go down.

"Ms. Romanoff has overridden the Lockdown Protocol, Sir. There is nothing I can do, I have been compromised. Would you like me to send a suit to you?" FRIDAY replied, her voice still panicked and confused. Tony couldn't believe what he was hearing.

"No. Not with Peter here. Have one ready. Get Rhodey up here." Tony demanded, standing in the middle of his living room, completely panicked and having no idea what to do. He knew he could and should get a suit up here, but he couldn't risk injuring Peter by accident. "God, fuck, FRIDAY! Do something!"

"I can't!" FRIDAY replied, still sounding worried, her voice raising as loud as Tony had programmed it to. 

"Daddy." Peter whined next, his head peeking up from Tony's chest, tired brown eyes meeting Tony's own. "Wha's goin' on?"

"Looks like you're going to meet three more Avengers." Tony replied hastily, his chest closing in on itself as he moved near the window, facing Peter outside. "Not as cool of a view as Malibu, huh?"

Peter's eyes were watering, looking out the window for a few seconds before turning back to Tony. "Cap'in Mewica hur' Daddy."

"Yes. He did." Tony replied, hearing the lift ding in the background. "God, Peter, I know he did. He's not supposed to be here."

"Tony?" Tony tensed, and so did Peter. Natasha's voice. "Where are you?"

He could hear their footsteps, all six feet making their way closer and closer. Peter hid his face, Tony gently patting his padded bottom as he turned away from the window, not liking the sight of the spaceship in the corner of his vision. He turned around just in time to see all three Rogues walk into the room, Clint and Natasha's arms crossed, Steve's hands on his belt buckle. He saw all of their eyes widen at the same time, though Natasha concealed it more than the two men did.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing on my floor?" Tony snapped, letting the budding anger come out as he stared at his old friends and teammates who were not supposed to be here right now. "How did you override FRIDAY? Why are you two here?"

Clint smirked. Steve looked guilty, Tony noticing the way he was fidgeting.

"I told you to come alone!" Tony yelled, cringing when Peter tensed in his arms. "Sorry, baby."

Once again, Tony was letting the pet names slip. Definitely not ideal in this situation.

"So you do have a kid." Clint spoke up, tilting his head. "Never thought you of all people would be a father."

"You don't get to talk." Tony growled, wishing Rhodey would hurry up and get here. He hated the way Clint was looking at him. Tony hadn't seen him since the Raft, and he sure as hell wasn't expecting this to happen.

"Tony-" Steve started, but Tony cut him off.

"No. You don't get to talk either. Especially you." Tony snapped, turning his body so Peter was further away from the three intruders. Steve faltered, but said no more, his lips pressed into a thin line. "I need Natasha more than the two of you combined. This is for Bruce. This isn't a playdate, idiots. Get out, you were never supposed to fucking be here!"

"What're you going to do? Have Ross come down and send us back to jail?" Clint egged on, earning glares from Natasha and Steve.

"If you would like that, certainly. Don't think I don't know where you've been this entire time." Tony scowled, his heart pounding in his chest. He heard the lift ding, relief immediately beginning to seep into his body. Rhodey came storming in soon after, rounding the three Ex-Avengers without even a look of surprise, standing in front of Tony and Peter with a gun raised. Even though it might have been a bit much, the extra security worked wonders on Tony's heart.

"You have a lot of nerve coming here, Rogers." Rhodey began, Tony knowing very well what he was talking about. Tony, after a few weeks of hiding it, had told Rhodey about what had happened in Siberia. His friend had been furious with Steve, and any kind of redemption was gone for the super soldier. Tony had a faint feeling that even if he ended up forgiving Steve one day, Rhodey wouldn't. "You too, Barton. I was told Romanoff was the only spy to be coming."

"I can't believe this!" Clint laughed without any humour, rolling his eyes and throwing his arms up in exasperation.

"Believe it. Get out. You're not welcome here." Rhodey sneered, Tony taking a few moments to look at Steve. The man looked different, completely. His hair was longer, he had a full beard, and in all, he just looked depressed. Tony couldn't help but think the Captain deserved it. He then looked at Natasha, who now had blonde hair. It looked weird on her, and he hardly recognised the three faces in front of him right now. "You three should not be on this floor, or in this building, for a matter of fact."

"I need to talk to Tony." Natasha spoke up, Tony's eyes moving to her as she completely disregarded Rhodey's words. She didn't look the least bit guilty about bringing the two men with her, and this is what told Tony that she had been planning this all along. Surprise, surprise, Tony had been lied to again. "It's about Bruce. Nothing else."

"I thought I was the only one with kids, but here we go. Stark's a Daddy." Clint again, his voice raising, making Peter tense up. Tony was going to murder that dickhead when this was all over and Peter wasn't in the room, narrowing his eyes at the archer who just smiled innocently in return. "We didn't believe the news at first. You can hardly look after yourself let alone a-"

"Shut the fuck up." Tony replied, rubbing Peter's back when he began to shake. "Romanoff stays. You two, out. Get out of my Compound."

"Swearing in front of a child." Clint said, a silent undertone of judgement seeping into his statement. 

"I wanted to-" Steve tried again, completely ignoring Clint, but Tony shook his head and cut him off a second time.

"No. You do not get a say in this, Rogers. Get the fuck out. You seemed to love running away from your problems in Siberia." Steve's face contorted, and both spies looked at him with slightly confused eyes. Tony laughed drily, beginning to bounce Peter subtly when he realised the boy was beginning to cry very, very quietly. They were all dead for making Peter cry. "Oh, don't tell me you haven't told them what happened. Y'know, the whole Barnes-killed-my-parents thing, or, even better, you destroying the suit's arc reactor with your shield? I honestly thought you were going to go for my head. Then, you left me there for dead, like any good _friend_."

Peter's head shot up, tear-stained and snotty, complete fear in his expression. Tony realised his mistake instantly, only taking a solitary moment to bask in the horror on both Natasha and Clint's faces as they looked at the guilty Steve between them. He was soon distracted by Peter, who was blubbering out words that Tony could hardly understand. 

"Daddy almos' d-die?" Hiccup. "Didn' 'ell Pe'er?"

Peter's face was contorting, telling Tony that he was about to cry even harder. His heart was breaking in every place at once, feeling his own eyes beginning to burn at the horrified look on his face. Even if he had zero experience with kids, he knew no toddlers should have that look on their face.

This was a fucking shit storm.

"You told us Stark took off Barnes' arm and left!" Clint snapped, though he still turned to glare at Tony as if he didn't believe it. "Tell me Stark's lying, like he always is."

Rhodey started yelling after that, though Tony found himself tuning it out as Peter began talking some more. 

"Cap'in Mewica almos' kill Daddy!" His kid actually wailed, causing silence to dawn over the room as Tony fought back his own emotions. He glared at the Rogues, turning around so his back was to them, ignoring his own pounding heart and increasing panic as he worked on trying to console Peter.

"Shh, Petey, it's okay." Tony's voice was shaking, the presence of his old friends behind him not doing anything to help. "I'm fine. I'm alive, baby, it's fine. Don't cry."

Peter wailed into his neck, chubby arms wrapped around his neck as Tony hugged him. He cringed when he felt that Peter's pants were a little wet, signifying that the diaper had probably leaked. That only seemed to have happened once, on the plane on the way to Malibu, and this was the worst possible time it could have happened. Tony was feeling so overwhelmed he was tearing up even more, Peter's crying and Rhodey's yelling making him feel even more stressed out.

What had started off as a good day had turned into a shit one real fast, and Tony had no idea how to handle it.

He hadn't realised when Rhodey quietened down, and he hadn't realised when the Rogues had left the room. He jumped almost a feat high when a hand landed on his shoulder, fully prepared to turn around and swing at the person until they spoke.

"It's me, Tony. Rhodey." Tony relaxed instantly, letting his friend turn him around. Rhodey's face contorted when he saw Tony's. "They're not here anymore. They're going down to my floor. You talk to Natasha when you're ready, alright, Tones? You don't even need to talk to her. She can bring Bruce back and go without you having to see her again."

"Fuck, Rhodey." Tony heaved, Peter still crying into his neck, but with less intensity. 

He let his friend bring him into a hug, Peter squished between them, though the kid seemed to be dragging all of the comfort in, just as Tony was doing. He didn't let himself cry, pressing his face into Rhodey's collarbone as the man kept his arms wrapped around the both of them. It was amazing, how fast things could turn to hell. Tony could hardly believe that any of that had just happened, just wishing that Pepper would be coming home soon. Tony was wrecked.

After a few long minutes of standing there in Rhodey's embrace, Tony broke it off. "Gotta change the kid."

"Yeah, sure." Rhodey replied, smiling softly but sadly. "I'll notify Pepper what's happened."

Tony nodded, rubbing his face with his free hand before leaving the room, carrying Peter into his room and into the bathroom. He laid Peter on the changing table, despite the kid's efforts to stay clinging to him, chewing on his lip to keep himself from letting go when he saw the look on his boy's face. Like Tony, he looked absolutely wrecked.

Tony quickly got the wet pants off of Peter, then the diaper, placing both aside as he cleaned the kid up. Peter sniffled and hiccuped through the whole thing, fingers in his mouth as Tony got the clean diaper onto him after cleaning him up. He didn't bother with pants, not having the patience to go look for them as he lifted Peter back into his arms, immediately giving the boy a tight hug.

"That was scary." Tony mumbled, feeling Peter nod. "You won't have to see them again."

He took Peter over to the bed, laying down with him on his chest. "I think we both need a nap after that shit storm."

"Peppo." Peter whispered, not looking up. 

"She'll be back soon." Tony had a sneaking suspicion that she would be back quicker than she had originally anticipated once she found out what was going on.

And of course, Tony was right, and he was woken up by Pepper's hand carding through his hair. He didn't remember falling asleep, blinking through the blur in his arms as he looked up at his fiancé, who looked furious and terrified at the same time. Peter was still snoozing in his arms, Tony not waking him up as he let Pepper kiss him. 

"I heard what happened." Pepper whispered, hand resting on his forehead. "Let me get them out of here."

"No." Tony sighed, knowing it was wrong of him to not want them to get caught. Despite how much he claimed to hate them, he still didn't want to see them behind bars again. It was too much. "Just.. just let Nat fix Bruce. Then they'll be gone."

"I hope so." Pepper replied, frowning. "I hate what they're making you feel."

"Me too, honey. Me too." Tony mumbled, finding himself wanting to go back to sleep. "I'll figure it out later."

"I'll make some dinner. Rest some more." She leant down and kissed his forehead, before getting up and leaving with a small smile. Tony would have liked to think he fell asleep straight away, but in all truths, it took him another half hour to fully relax to be able to sleep again. Peter didn't wake up the whole time, and Tony found himself feeling grateful. The kid needed a rest as much as he did.

He would figure everything out later.

(He wished he didn't have to).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> news flash: baby is my favourite pet name
> 
> EDIT: as most of you would already know i very rarely reply to comments, and i'm hoping to change that since i feel bad lmao  
> i'll try to reply to most comments from now on


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> posting this a day earlier because i'm busy as hell on the weekend and will have no time.
> 
> i hope yall enjoy ha

Tony stared at himself in the mirror, making sure he looked as put together as he always did. He was clad in a normal black suit, looking neat as usual, sunglasses perched on his nose shielding his eyes. He masked his feelings, wiping a hand down his face before leaving inserting his earpiece that connected him to FRIDAY and the goings on inside of the Compound. With that, he left the bathroom to see Pepper sitting on their bed with a gentle, but strained, smile on her face. She was still dressed in her pyjamas.

Peter was once again out with May for the day, since Tony had shit to deal with, and he did not want Peter anywhere near it. He was going to get Bruce back today, and he did not want his child anywhere near potentially violent, and angry, Hulks. Again. They had been too close last time, even if nothing drastic had actually happened. Tony didn't want to take any chances, and he shouldn't have taken that one in the first place.

He had called May last minute, and she had managed to free her day so she could take Peter out and away from the Compound. Tony ended up telling her everything that was going on, and she had been more than happy to take Peter away from it all. She also offered, if needed, for the kid to stay the night at the apartment while he figured everything out and got the Rogues out of his Compound.

Tony didn't know how to feel about May treating him like he really was Peter's father. Asking him permission, letting her nephew stay with him in Malibu, supporting him when he almost cracked because Peter was crying for him to come with them. God, he knew he had changed so much since he first found Peter in that disgusting alleyway, tiny Spider-Man suit and all. May treating him like this just confirmed it all. 

"You know you don't have to be there." Pepper broke his train of thought, holding his hand when he stopped to stand in front of her. "I don't want you to be there."

"I'm not going in there." Tony replied, looking away from his future wife, pretty much hiding behind his sunglasses at this point. "I'll wait outside. There is no way I'm going inside of that ship."

Tony had managed to snag Valkyrie when she had been hovering at the doors of the ship, letting her know what was going to happen. Tony wasn't going to lie, the woman intimidated him greatly, and for once, he felt nervous about what to say in front of someone. That never happened to him, and he was slightly horrified that it had. Being here, back at the Compound with Peter, was terrifying. There was no one around to judge him in Malibu, and there was definitely no Rogue Avengers.

"I understand." Pepper replied, brushing her thumb over his knuckles. "Just let me know when everything's okay, yeah? I hate seeing you like this. Peter hates seeing you like this, even if he's pretty much in a toddler headspace at the moment. Babe, you don't have to see them."

"I'm not seeing them." Tony spat distastefully, but not directed towards Pepper. "I'm only seeing Natasha. Not the other two. Not yet."

"Good." Pepper whispered, sounding a little distant. "I trust her more than Rogers and Barton."

"I don't trust any of them." Tony replied, still not looking at her. "This is for Bruce, and this is for Peter. No one else."

"You've changed." Pepper commented, causing Tony to look down at her. "It's good on you, Tony. Parenting."

"As I've been told." Tony mumbled, not being able to meet her eye. "He wasn't supposed to know about Siberia."

"You'll be able to talk about it with him when he's older, Tony." Pepper said, still squeezing his hand and caressing his knuckles. "He adores you. He wouldn't love you any less for not telling him. He'd understand."

"I know." Tony sighed. "But I didn't want him to know."

"We can't do anything about it now. It'll pass." Pepper pushed him back gently so she could stand, now holding both his hands in hers. "This will pass. Everything's going to be alright, you know that, Tones. Peter is going to be fine."

Tony nodded, looking away to try stop himself from tearing up. "I have to go see Natasha."

Pepper nodded, kissing his cheek and then his lips. "You will get your friend back."

"I hope so." Tony kissed his fiancé's cheek back. "I'll see you soon. Love you."

"Love you too."

Then, they parted. Pepper stayed back in their room, Tony not looking back as he made his way over to the lift, clenching his fists as he stepped in. It was now or never, he supposed. "To the garage, Fri."

FRIDAY obeyed without comment, Tony staring at himself in the reflection as he pushed all signs of tears back, making sure his sunglasses covered his eyes properly. He put on his blank face, inhaling deeply and exhaling just as the lift came to a stop. He stepped out before the doors were fully opened, immediately spotting Natasha standing by his Audi, not another soul to be seen in the garage. FRIDAY had all the interns and other important people locked out of the garage, and no one would be able to override the protocol until Tony lifted it. 

He walked over to her, hands in pant pockets, blank expression in place. Natasha looked up upon his arrival, her face also blank, but there was something in her eyes that Tony couldn't figure out. He ignored it, stopping right in front of his old friend, looking dead at her. "Romanoff."

"Tony." Natasha replied, standing up straighter. "About yester-"

"No." Tony snapped, huffing. "I'm not talking about this. This is for Bruce. Once he's back, you and your little criminals will be leaving my Compound. This isn't a holiday retreat."

"As I am aware." Natasha replied coldly, already beginning to walk. Whatever look she had in her eyes was gone, and all there was was resentment. "Let's get this over with, then, Stark."

It was silent as they exited the Compound, making sure to use the trees as they went. It wasn't long before Tony found himself speaking, desperately wishing that Thor was here. That guy could be in space for all he knew, and there was no telling how long it was going to take for him to return with his asshole of a brother. Thor was more capable of handling an angry Hulk than all of them. He wasn't so sure about the aliens, though.

"Why did they come with you?" Tony asked, looking at the ground. 

"They insisted." Natasha replied, stepping over a large fallen branch. "They wanted to see you and the kid."

Tony tensed, a scowl already forming on his face. "Excuse me?"

"Come on, Tony. The whole world is curious why you're suddenly taking children to your Malibu mansion. Even we are." Tony clenched his fists, lips pressed in a firm line as Natasha continued to speak. "We were curious. And they wouldn't take no for a-"

"You don't get to see my kid again." Tony snapped, kicking a bunch of leaves out of frustration as he spoke. "You shouldn't even fucking be here. This is for Bruce."

"What's happened to you? I didn't think we left off on such a bad foot." Natasha replied, and Tony could see her looking at him in the corner of his eye. "You can't blame us for being curious. It's been two and a bit years since we left, and you're seen with a child who could be around two. No one would have expected you to be a father. Especially Clint. It makes sense, Tony. You were broken up with Pepper, and the kid is two-years-old, and don't tell me you're not surprised we think you went off the rails after St-"

"It's none of your damn business." Tony growled through clenched teeth, cutting her off. His muscles tensed up even more when he realised they were coming up to the ship, though he was relieved to say he was not going in there a second time. Even if Peter wasn't with him, and the fact that he cared about Peter's safety more than his own, he still felt terrified of the place. He had a feeling that PTSD was definitely a significant factor, but as usual, he pushed his sunglasses up his nose and pretended the sight didn't bother him at all. 

Tony got over the broken trees easier this time, giving that he didn't have a child in his arms and could use his hands for leverage. "I didn't think you bastards would give a shit about me or my life. You don't get to speculate."

"Who's the mother?" Natasha had the audacity to ask, ignoring everything he had just said. Tony resisted the urge to turn around and kick her backwards over a log, which would have been very satisfying right now. Natasha had always been a forward person, maybe more so after he found out about her being a SHIELD shadow back when he was dying, and it had been one thing that Tony despised. But really, he did love Natasha. He loved all of them. But of course, they screwed him over, like almost everyone in Tony's life.

"There's no mother, because he's not my fucking kid." Tony snapped, jumping down onto the ground from a bigger log. "You don't get to ask questions like this after the shit you've pulled. I told you to come alone to avoid something like this."

"None of us knew what Steve did, by the way." Natasha changed the topic, walking beside him as they approached the ramp. "He told us it was true last night. He regrets it, it's obvious. He hasn't been Steve since he left. Finding out that you had a kid made him look even more guilty, but we didn't know why until now."

"Oh, fuck you." Tony spat, pushing down his terror as he stepped onto the ramp. "He's not sorry. All I got was a little half-assed note and flip phone. He left me for dead in that bunker. I went to help them, Natasha. Finding out that.. Barnes killed my parents was the fucking breaking point. Don't you talk to me about Steve being sorry, and Peter has nothing to do with it."

Shit.

"You still kept the phone." Natasha mumbled, storming ahead of him, seemingly ignoring Tony's accidental name-dropping. "Let's get this over with. Talking to you is like talking to a brick wall."

"You know he'll always pick Barnes, right?" Tony egged her on, staring at her back as if he pretty much fed off of her anger. He wouldn't be surprised if she turned around at punched him and left him for dead. Tony knew very well he could be a bitch when he wanted to, and right now, he really wanted to. "If it was between you and Barnes, he would pick Barnes. No question."

"I know." It was Natasha's turn to spit, whirling around to face him. "I'm here to help you, Tony. I was ready to apologise, but if you don't want to hear it, that's your loss. So why don't you shut your mouth and let me do your job for you so I can get out of here."

"My job?" Tony questioned, moving back in front and tried to remember how they had come across the Hulk. "You're the only one who gets through to him."

Natasha didn't answer him, because someone else was stomping down the ramp. Tony looked over to see that it was Valkyrie, arms crossed and hair draped over her shoulders. She looked intimidating, as usual, eyeing Natasha up and down with unimpressed eyes. She then turned to Tony, and he was shocked when she gave him the faintest of smiles. That was the first time he had ever seen that girl smile.

"Stark." She greeted, before the smile fell and she returned her unimpressed gaze to Natasha. "Is this who will be seeing the Hulk."

"Yep." Tony replied, looking at the now-blonde behind his sunglasses. "Natasha, meet Valkyrie. Valkyrie meet Natasha."

"My name isn't actually Valkyrie." She stated, rolling her eyes. "The Lord of Thunder never bothered to ask."

Lord of Thunder?

Before Tony could even ask what her actual name was, she was turning around and speaking. "Follow me. Stark will stay behind."

"What?" Natasha snapped, her eyes narrowing in his direction.

"You're the only one who gets through to him." He repeated, nodding his head for her to leave. She sighed, shaking her head with a roll of the eyes as she followed Valkyrie up the ramp. Tony watched them disappear as he backed away from the ship, deciding on sitting on one of the fallen trees as he waited.

It was quite peaceful, just sitting there listening to the birds chirp away. Though it did nothing to calm his thoughts as they drifted off to Peter, and before he could comprehend what he was doing, he was asking FRIDAY to call May for him. He drummed his fingers absently on his knee as he listened to the rings, kicking at a few dying leaves on the ground. She didn't pick up, Tony sighing and asked FRIDAY for her to call again.

This time, May picked up after the third ring, her worried voice echoing through the earpiece. "Tony? What's wrong?" 

"Nothings wrong. Yet." Tony replied, now beginning to pick at his pants. "The Hulk situation is being worked on. How's Peter?"

There was a distinctive sigh of relief from the other end of the phone. "He's okay. I've brought Ned over again, he seems to be enjoying himself. He doesn't look as happy as he has been with me, though. Fussy."

"Fussy." Tony repeated, the word doing nothing to tell him what was wrong with Peter.

"Well, to put it this way," May began, falling silent for a few minutes. "He's quite angry and reluctant to do things. He refused to let me change him for almost half an hour."

"Oh." Tony replied, looking absently over to the ship. He couldn't hear anything from inside just yet, and he was hoping he wouldn't. "Anything else?"

"I think he just misses you." May sighed, sounding fond. "I knew he was attached before this all happened, but he seems to have gotten even more. He likes to talk about Malibu a lot with us. He's a lot more open than when I looked after him."

"What's he doing now?" Tony asked, mostly just to distract himself. He still had Steve and Clint to deal with, and he was pretty sure he would end up having to see them again even if he didn't want to. "Any more tantrums?"

"He's playing with Ned. Just a few little fits, I've given up." May chuckled slightly. "When will Happy and I have him back to you?"

"Eight." Tony replied, hoping the situation would have been solved by then. It was currently almost twelve, so that allowed plenty of time before he would have the kid back in his care. "Should be enough time to figure everything out."

"Alright." May said, the two sitting in silence for a few minutes. "I better let you go, then."

"Yeah, alright." Tony answered, brushing some dust that had gotten onto his pants off of the fabric. "Bye."

"See you later, Tony." Then, she hung up.

Tony let out a deep breath through his nose, letting his thoughts drift off to what Steve and Clint could be doing. FRIDAY would have let him know through his earpiece if the two had made an attempt to leave the Compound unannounced, and would promptly prevent them from doing so until Bruce was back. If Ross knew what he was doing behind his back, Tony was sure he would end up in that floating prison just like the others had.

"Fri, update on the two pests?" Tony mumbled, even though there wasn't really anyone around him that could be listening. 

"Captain Rogers and Mr. Barton are still positioned on Mr. Rhodes' floor. Mr. Rhodes is very persistent on not letting them leave until he has your word." Tony nodded alone, poking at his earpiece as he listened. "Captain Rogers has tried multiple times to contact you, Sir. I detect that he is indeed feeling remorseful."

"Tell him he can go fuck himself." Tony replied in a heartbeat, ignoring the tightening of his chest as he thought about how worn down Steve had actually looked. "Have they been asking about Peter?"

"I will give that message to him." If it were possible, FRIDAY could have almost sounded distasteful and amused at the same time. "Indeed. Would you like me to play some audio feed from Mr. Barton last night?" Tony paused.

"Sure."

There was a moment of silence before Clint's voice filtered into his ear. "I can't believe Stark has a kid. Can you believe it?" It was unclear who the spy was talking to, Tony letting his eyes gaze around his scenery as he waited for FRIDAY to play him another piece. "I bet he already has the kid on alcohol. I wouldn't be surprised if Child Services turned up at some point. He hasn't even had a press conference to cover it up, I mean, he's pretty much confirmed that it's his."

Another pause. Tony's cheeks were burning in anger, fists clenching as FRIDAY played him another part. It seemed as if she were playing parts of conversation, cutting out the replies he was sure Clint would have been getting. The man couldn't just possibly be talking to himself like that.

"I don't care if it's rude. You know that bastard's history. Especially you, Natasha. You of all-"

"That's enough." Tony mumbled, the audio cutting off as soon as he spoke. "Also tell Barton he can go fuck himself."

"I am not sure I will use such language." FRIDAY replied, almost in a comforting tone. Tony wondered if when he created FRIDAY and all of his other AI's if something had happened to JARVIS, he had been drunk and lonely and decided to put the comforting feature in there. He had done it with JARVIS, of course. Man, he really missed his old AI. "But I will get the message across. Is there anything else you would like me to do?"

"How is the crime in Queens?" Tony asked, Spider-Man suddenly popping into his head. There was no sounds from the ship as of yet, and he began to wonder if maybe this would go down quietly. He sure hoped it would. 

"Since Spider-Man's disappearance, the crime rate in Queens has raised significantly. Many people have taken to social media to question the absence of Spider-Man, and are beginning to wonder if it has anything to do with the Avengers or yourself, Boss." FRIDAY stopped for a few moments, presumably letting Tony digest the information. "The number of muggings, shoplifting and instances including weapons has skyrocketed since Spider-Man disappeared. Many citizens are complaining, though most are worried."

Tony didn't say anything, merely letting out a heavy and long sigh. 

FRIDAY said no more, Tony resuming to sitting in silence as he waited for something to happen. He found it nauseating just sitting there, out in the open, just waiting. He hated waiting, and he had no idea if anything was going well inside that fucking ship. Thor really had to land it right next to the Compound, didn't he?

It had to be another half hour before he heard the loud boom come from inside of the ship, making him jump and almost fall backwards right off of the log. It was silent for about a second after until a loud roar echoed through the entire ship, sending the birds that had been chirping away in the trees flying. His insides curled painfully, anxiety crawling up his arms as more sounds exactly the same echoed through the ship.

This continued for a few minutes, and then it went completely silent. Tony was sat there, impatiently waiting for something else to happen, chewing on his fingernails as he did so. It had to be another hour, or maybe less, before people became visible in the shadows from the ship. 

He saw Valkyrie first. She stopped at the top of the ramp as Tony stood up, still not removing his sunglasses as he watched two other people move out from the ship. Natasha was next, and Tony's mouth was falling open when he saw who was wrapped up in a blanket next to her, arm around her small shoulders.

Bruce Banner.

Bruce's eyes widened when he saw Tony, Tony having no idea how to react as he stood there with his mouth ajar. For the first time since he had gotten dressed, he removed his sunglasses, running a hand through his hair as he looked at his old friend. 

"Tony." Bruce said first, moving off from Natasha and began stumbling down the ramp. Tony didn't move any closer until the man was off of the ramp. There was nothing else said as Bruce embraced him, the blanket thankfully not revealing anything as he opened his arms. Tony took a few more moments to respond, numbly wrapping his arms around his friend.

They stood like this for a while, Tony completely ignoring the presence of Natasha as Valkyrie disappeared into the ship.

It wasn't that long before Tony found himself back inside of the garage, watching as FRIDAY took Natasha up to Rhodey's floor first. She turned around when she stepped in, her hard gaze settling onto Tony. "I guess I won't be seeing you again."

"You won't." Tony replied, crossing his arms. "Don't come back. I would hate to see Ross put you all in jail." 

"Remember the phone, Tony." Natasha replied, Tony's heart jumping. "Steve wants to make things right, I know he does. You have that phone. Goodbye, Stark." 

FRIDAY closed the doors as soon as Natasha had said goodbye, and that was the last time Tony would be seeing Natasha in what he hoped was a long time. 

Bruce seemed completely confused on Tony's reluctance to Natasha, which was understandable, since he had been MIA as the Hulk for over two years now. Tony said nothing, stepping into the lift when it returned to the garage with Bruce in tow.

"Has something happened?" Bruce asked as the doors closed, FRIDAY already taking them up. Tony was staring at himself in the reflection, having put his sunglasses back on and masked over his emotions. He found himself not being able to wait to see Peter again. He missed the kid's company.

He also couldn't help but miss the company of teen Peter too.

"Tony?" Tony had zoned out.

"What was that?" He asked his friend, adjusting his sunglasses.

"Something's different. Have you had a disagreement with Nat?" Bruce was looking at him. "Where are we going? We've already gone past the-"

"My floor. We need to have a chat." Tony replied, scratching behind his ear. "A lot's happened since you've left."

"Is everyone there?" Bruce then asked, most likely talking about the Avengers. He also looked shocked, which suggested to Tony that Bruce was confused why he was being let on Tony's private floor. Even Bruce had never been on it while he was here. "Where's Thor? He wasn't on the ship."

"Thor's out looking for his brother." Tony replied as the doors opened, taking the lead and leaving. He had completely forgotten about all the baby stuff thrown all over the place, turning back just in time to see Bruce's wide-eyed look. The man covered it well when he noticed Tony looking, though Tony could see the millions of questions floating around in his eyes. "The Avengers aren't here anymore. Soon, Romanoff, Rogers and Barton will be leaving. Only Nat was supposed to be there, but of cause she brought those bastards with him."

Tony led Bruce into the kitchen, ignoring that the man only had a blanket, also ignoring the quizzical expression on the other man's face. 

"Coffee?"

"Yeah. Sure." Bruce replied, Tony turning his back to him. "What do you mean they're leaving?"

"Fri, send a message to May to say it's sorted out. Tell Rhodey to get those bastards out of this Compound before Peter comes home. I don't want to see them anymore." Tony whispered lowly enough so that he hoped Bruce wouldn't hear. "You see, Brucie, we're not on good terms at the moment. The Avengers broke up."

"Broke up? Like the Beetles?" Tony felt no humour as he poured the coffees, turning around to lead Bruce into his bomb site of a living room. Again, Bruce's eyes widened at the toys all over the room, though he said nothing as he sat to the left of Tony on the armchair. "What's all this stuff? Have you.. have you and Pepper.."

"No." Tony stated, pulling his sunglasses off and placed them beside him. "We didn't. It's hard to explain."

"So you do have a baby? That's not Pepper's?" Bruce asked, seemingly forgetting the whole Avengers situation momentarily.

"He's not mine." Tony sighed, rubbing his face before taking a sip of his coffee. "He's actually meant to be a teenager."

Silence. "What?"

"You see, Loki used his magic to de-age my k- intern. I have been looking after him since, and Thor is out looking for that asshole right now. Kid's at his Aunt's, he'll be back here in a few hours. I was hoping you'd be able to do some tests on him?"

"Um, alright." Bruce replied, still looking baffled. "How old is he?"

"He's two. Was fifteen."

"Fifteen-year-old intern?"

"Yes."

There was more silence as the two downed their coffees, until Bruce spoke up once again. "What happened between the Avengers?"

"I'll have to show you the Accords later. That's what split us apart." Tony clenched his fists to stop them from shaking, not liking having to talk about everything that had happened. "We fought. In an airport. You can decide whether you want to sign the Accords or not."

"In an airport." Bruce repeated, placing his cup on the coffee table. "Accords."

"Yes. We also fought in a Siberian Bunker. Now, they're on the run and have been for two years. They're here because I needed Natasha to get you back, and she was strictly supposed to come alone. But of course, she brought those two idiots into my home and fucked everything up."

"Wow." Bruce mumbled, scratching his neck with what looked like guilt. "I shouldn't have left, should I?"

"You didn't. Hulk decided that." Tony replied, not looking at his friend. "Speaking of, why can't you transform back from the Hulk any more?"

"I don't know. Something's changed." Bruce was now the one sighing, shaking his head. "I don't know."

"I missed you, Brucie." Tony spoke up after a few more seconds of silence, looking over to his friend. "I'm glad you're back."

"I missed you, too." Bruce smiled very slightly before his eyes raked over the room, which was still covered in Peter's toys. "I can't believe you have a kid."

"I don't have a kid."

"Yes, you do."

It was many hours after Bruce's return when Tony was alerted that Peter, May and Happy were back at the Compound and currently coming up inside of the lift. Bruce had gone down to his own floor, that Tony had nor gotten rid of or remodelled, to get changed and get himself cleaned up. He would be seeing the Rogues after that, and Tony would not.

He had thought long and hard on the decision, and ended up deciding against seeing them again. He didn't think he could handle looking into the guilty eyes of Steve Rogers again, or Barton's eyes full of hatred. He couldn't.

Tony knew they were still there, in Rhodey's floor. Rhodey had FRIDAY tell him that they refused to leave until they spoke with Tony, which was more explicitly just Steve, because Tony hardly believed that Natasha and Clint were dying to talk to him. Or, maybe they were dying to catch a sight of Peter again. Tony ignored Steve's demands and told FRIDAY that they had to be out before morning, or else he would call Ross to get them sorted. He also, once again, told Barton to go fuck himself.

Though, Tony didn't really want to sell them out to the authorities.

But he would if they were endangering Peter, which, they were.

"Boss, I would like to alert you that May Parker, Mr. Hogan and Young Peter are currently making their way to your floor. Peter seems to be in distress." Tony's interest was peaked at the last statement, looking up from where he had been dozing on the couch. After Bruce left, he didn't have the willpower to drag himself down into the lab. Pepper was out, and Tony had a sneaking suspicion that she was giving him space after the whole Hulk thing.

"What's happening?" Tony asked his AI, pushing himself up from the couch and made his way over to the lift.

"Young Peter appears to be unable to stop crying. I am unsure of the problem." 

It was a minute later when Tony could hear the cries, and seconds later when the doors opened to reveal a red-faced baby, a panicked-looking May, and an angry-looking Happy. Peter wasn't in May's arms, like Tony would have expected, but was on the floor with his tiny hand in hers, Iron Man teddy his other arm and his pacifier hanging off of a clip on his shirt. 

"What is going on?" Tony asked, his mouth open slightly. As if his voice had been a trigger, the cries stopped immediately, Tony looking down to see Peter looking up at him with huge eyes. Then, he was pulling his hand from May's grip and reaching up for Tony, his bottom lip wobbling as if he were about to sob all over again. Tony kneeled down, letting the kid wrap his arms around his neck. "What's all the tears for, hm?"

"Miss 'o." Peter mumbled into his collarbone, Tony grunting slightly as he pushed himself into a standing position. He shared a glance with both May and Happy, the two looking collectively flabbergasted. 

"You shouldn't cry over me like that, kid. I'm hardly someone worth all of that." Tony mumbled, chewing on his lip a little. He ignored the look that both Happy and May gave him, May stepping forwards and began rubbing Peter's back. May also rested a hand on Tony's arm that was around Peter's back, sending him a soft smile. Tony gave her a small, shaky one, before turning back to Peter. "Guess who you're going to be meeting?"

Peter didn't answer, keeping his face smushed into Tony's shoulder.

"Well, a certain scientist who turns into a giant green rage monster is a few floors below us." 

Peter's head popped out then, Tony wincing at all of the snot and tears all over his face. "B-Bwuce Banner?"

"Yeah buddy. Bruce." Tony replied, hoping his smile wasn't as strained as it felt. Right now, Bruce was downstairs with the Rogue Avengers. "He's excited to meet you."

Peter jabbed a little thumb at his own chest, panting heavily. "Me?"

"Yes, you." Tony wiped some of his tears. "Enough of this. How was your day?"

And with that, Peter began to shakily list off everything he had done that day, May interrupting in certain parts. Tony did not like the way that woman was looking at him.

When May was about to step back into the lift, she grabbed Tony's hand and held it for a few seconds, rubbing his knuckles so comfortingly Tony could have cried right then and there. This woman should be hating him, hating him for putting her nephew in danger. She should be caring for him instead of Tony, not letting him stay. She shouldn't be comforting him like this. "I knew you'd be a good Dad. He needed it, y'know. He still will."

"What?" Tony asked, though May said no more. She disappeared into the lift with a wink, and soon herself and Happy were going down. 

Well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i really dont know what to say in my notes anymore... but thanks for all the support! 20 something thousands hits and 1k+ kudos, i was never expecting anything like this. thank you to those who have been there since the beginning, you know who you are <3
> 
> if you want, follow me on ig @parkerstvrk <3 dm me if you like, i will always answer <333


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again, posting a few hours earlier than usual!
> 
> i am on school holidays for two weeks from today, so hopefully amongst homework and other things i can continue writing the sequel! as of now, i still have five chapters written. not going too well, honestly
> 
> hope y'all enjoy this chapter it's a bit of a rollercoaster of emotions

Tony swore he woke up having a heart attack.

Firstly, there was no tiny body in his arms like there had been last night. He shot up, looking wildly around the room, hoping Peter might just be playing with his toys on the floor or something because he had woken up before Tony. When he wasn't there, Tony's heart rate skyrocketed, and was soon increasing even further when FRIDAY began speaking to him. 

"Boss, Young Peter is currently on his way down to Colonel Rhodes' private floor." Tony blanched. What the fuck? "I suggest that you make your way down there immediately. I was unable to stop him, he remembered the override codes that you had given him after the Vulture attack. I am sorry, Boss. I was not able to tell you until he was inside of the lift and making his descent."

Tony sat there for a few moments, figuring out what his AI had just told him, before yanking back the covers and got to his feet. Panic encased his heart as he made his way down the hall, completely forgetting about the lift and going straight for the stairs, which he had hardly used since he moved into the Compound. But right now, they were proving to be worth it as he stumbled down them, almost breaking his ankle when he fell down a few steps and landed awkwardly at the bottom. 

"What is he doing?" Tony asked, puffing from the exertion, trying his best to get there as quick as possible. It had only really been a few minutes since FRIDAY had alerted that Peter was inside of the lift, but he knew the kid would be at the floor by now. "Where is he? Fri?"

"He has made it to Colonel Rhodes' floor, and is in the living room with Ms. Romanoff, Mr. Barton, Mr. Rogers, Mr. Banner and Colonel Rhodes." Tony felt horror wash through his entire body as he continued to skip a stair at a time, almost reaching Rhodey's floor with another heart raising moment of almost face planting on the floor. "He is crying. I am unable to understand what he is saying, but he appears to be angry."

By this time, he was at Rhodey's floor, exploding through the door when he underestimated how fast he was moving. He was going that fast he ran right into the wall on the other side of the hall, being able to keep his head from hitting the plaster. He steadied himself, before moving incredibly faster when he heard the sounds of Peter crying, reaching the living room within seconds. 

Nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to see and hear.

Rhodey was in the process of picking Tony's kid up, whose little fists were pounding and pounding at Steve's leg. Tony, unlike FRIDAY, could somehow understand what his child was saying, and he felt his heart ache even more when he deciphered the jumbled words.

"W-why 'ould y-you hur' my D-Daddy?" Peter had screamed in the midst of his sobs, getting to hit Steve one more time before he was pulled away. Tony winced at the sound Peter made when he was no longer able to hit Steve, thrashing so much in Rhodey's arms that Tony feared he might drop him. For a split second, Tony let his eyes glance over the three intruders, not being prepared for the wounded look on Steve's face. Natasha was looking at him with a wide-eyed stare, and Clint even had the decency to look guilty. Bruce looked like he was about to cry. "I ha' you!" 

Clint's eyes caught his within moments, and Tony didn't even have the energy to glare.

Tony began walking (running) over to his kid, ignoring the stares he was getting from every person in the room as he plucked the squirming child from Rhodey, turning around so his back was to the Rogue Avengers and Bruce. 

Peter was squirming, the most he had ever thrashed in Tony's arm before, still yelling out words that stabbed Tony's heart.

"Y-you no' a he-ro!" Peter had yelled, Tony only just understanding what he was saying. "You hur' my Daddy!"

"Shh, baby." Tony whispered, chewing on his lip, trying not to cry himself. He felt Peter's body freeze when he heard Tony's voice, as if he hadn't realised whose arms he had been transferred into. Tony began walking away from everyone in the room, straight to the lift, the doors opening for him when he got there. Peter had begun sobbing rather then screaming, his head returning to his usual place in Tony's shoulder, Tony bouncing his child and rocking slightly mostly to calm himself down too. "It's okay, it's okay."

"No!" Peter sobbed back, his entire small body quivering. "No! Cap' Merca' go!"

"He will be going." Tony replied, resting his head on Peter's. Once they were back to his floor, Tony felt his body relax considerably, heading straight for the living room couch. He sat Peter on his lap so he was facing him, wiping away his tears before resting his hands on Peter's tiny hips to stop him from wriggling. "Kiddie, why would you go down there without me? Why would you go down by yourself at all?"

Peter was reaching for him, making frantic grabbing motions, Tony's hands keeping him from leaning forwards enough to reach. 

"Peter, you could have gotten hurt." Tony continued, letting the relief that he had Peter here with him now coarse through his veins. "I'm not mad, buddy."

Peter shook his head rapidly, his tiny chest heaving as he hiccupped, still reaching desperately for Tony.

When Tony knew that Peter was way past the point of talking coherently, he let Peter crawl closer to him and wrap his arms around his neck.

It bizarre to Tony, that he hardly remembered how teenage Peter Parker even acted, let alone remembered that Spider-Man was absent from Queens. Now that he had this fragile toddler with him at all times of the day, who cried at the drop of the hat, he could hardly even associate this baby with a teenager. Now, that he had seen Peter try to fight Captain America after witnessing the hero worship he had for the man, he couldn't help but feel his heart break into tiny little pieces.

He loved teen Peter, of course he did. He was sure he did as soon as the boy came home, when Tony was waiting in his apartment to take him to fight in Germany. He would never want him to be replaced with this smaller version of Peter, because that wasn't fair on the kid, and honestly he shouldn't even feel sad about all the possibilities. He still had Peter either way, and he did miss having the non-stop talking teenager around him too. 

But it still hurt like a bitch. 

A hand laid on his shoulder. He whipped his head to the side so fast he was sure he had gotten whiplash, relaxing immediately when he saw that it was just Pepper. How she had snuck up on him, he had no idea, but he felt relieved that she was here. "What happened?"

"Had an encounter with the Rogues." Tony replied through gritted teeth, letting Pepper run her hands through his hair. Peter resumed his hysterical crying, Tony beginning to hum lowly and brought his arms around Peter tighter, as if he could protect the kid from the entire world.

"Oh, baby." Pepper had cooed, gently petting Peter's hair. "No need to cry. Your Daddy's fine, he's right here."

Peter either wasn't listening or cared, and continued to sob into Tony's shoulder.

"I'll make breakfast." Pepper spoke to Tony next, kissing his temple. Tony couldn't even think about eating now, after their hell of a morning, and it was only eight in the morning. 

He sat there, thinking of ways that he could get Peter to calm down. 

Bruce.

"Hey, Petey." Tony prodded the kid's hip gently, trying to pry him off his shoulder so he could make sure Peter was listening. "Petey. Guess what."

Peter, reluctantly, took his head away from Tony's shoulder to look at him, his fingers inching up towards his mouth. Tony tried to mask his own sadness, plastering a wobbly smile on his face as he continued to rub Peter's back. "Wha'?"

"I might be able to get Bruce in here." Tony smiled, feeling like throwing a party when Peter's eyes lit up very slightly. His fingers disappeared behind his lips, Tony also counting it as a win when Peter didn't return to hiding his face in Tony's shoulder. Tony thought that just maybe, the boy hadn't seen Bruce when he was hellbent on punching Steve's shins and knees. The memory was always going to be imprinted in his mind, now, and he was sure it was never going to go away. Neither would the look on Steve's face. "He's very excited to meet you, bud. I bet you're very excited to meet him?"

Peter nodded a few times, letting Tony wipe away his tears. Tony couldn't believe what he was saying.

"He wouldn't like to see you sad, though." Tony said sadly, wiping away another tear that fell. "I can call him right now. Do you want to meet Bruce, Petey?"

Peter was nodding before Tony had even finished the sentence, looking so out of it that Tony felt a little concerned. During the whole time Peter had been a toddler, this was the first time he had looked so lost, and he feared that maybe this whole thing with the Rogues had been a turning point. Tony stayed silent for a few moments as he studied the child, running his hand through his hair a couple of times before addressing FRIDAY.

"Tell Bruce to get up here, and that he has someone to meet. Tell Rhodey to come too." Tony asked, shifting Peter a little. 

"Already on it, Sir. Colonel Rhodes and Mr. Banner are currently making their way to the lift." 

Tony watching as Peter looked up to the ceiling with a look of wonder on his face. Tony searched the room for a box of tissues, groaning when there wasn't any. 

Pepper, as if she had heard all of his thoughts, came into the room with a bottle of milk and a box of tissues. Tony took them thankfully, handing the bottle to Peter before yanking a tissue from the box as Pepper left the room. She returned a few seconds later with three plates balanced in her arms, sitting down beside Tony before setting the plates onto the coffee table. This all went on as Tony wiped under Peter's nose and around his mouth, Pepper silent until he was finished. "Bruce is coming up?"

"Yeah. Rhodey too." Tony replied, not taking his eyes off of Peter who had calmed down considerably in just a few minutes, hardly hiccuping now as he suckled from the bottle. "Peter really wants to meet Bruce. Hopefully it'll cheer him up. And me."

"I know." Pepper replied quietly, sighing as she grabbed her own plate back off of the table. When Peter was finished the bottle, he offered the food to the kid, who took it without hesitation and picked things off of the plate as Tony held it for him. It wasn't until Peter finished that Tony got to eat his own, and by that time, the lift was alerting them of Bruce and Rhodey's entrance.

Tony didn't miss the way Peter tensed up, fingers returning to his mouth as he looked over Tony's shoulder. Tony guessed that Bruce had come into the room by the way Peter was trembling like a leaf, though there was clear excitement in his eyes when he turned to meet Tony's. Bruce looked like a wounded puppy, although Peter seemed to have no idea that the scientist was inside of Rhodey's floor as well. Rhodey looked the same. Soon after, the two men were rounding the couch, Bruce sitting on his other side and Rhodey on the armchair. 

"Hey Tony." Bruce's eyes were huge, moving between Peter and Tony rapidly. Bruce was skittish, as if he were afraid, wringing his hands and fiddling with his sleeves as if he had no idea what to do with himself, or that he was scared of what he could do. Tony understood, because the Hulk could very well crush both Peter and Tony in one hand, but also because of what had happened not even half an hour ago. "Who's this?"

"This is Peter." Tony replied, desperately trying to get ahold of himself as Peter stared at Bruce, seemingly too shocked to even react. From where Tony was sitting and how Peter was positioned on his lap, he couldn't see the kid's face.

Bruce seemed to compose himself rather fast, a soft expression replacing the horrified one as he finally locked his eyes on Peter. Though, his hands never stopped fiddling, and Tony now noticed that they were shaking. "Hello, Peter. I'm Bruce, but I think you might already know that." 

Peter said nothing, merely raising a little hand and waving it in Bruce's direction. Tony didn't miss the way Bruce's lips quirked, the two of them making eye contact for a few seconds before Tony looked away, over to Rhodey, who had a soft smile on his face, though there was sadness in his eyes. 

Tony turned back to Bruce. "I was wondering if you would be able to check him over?"

Bruce looked confused, and a little affronted. "FRIDAY can do that, can't she?"

FRIDAY cut in before Tony could answer. "I can, Mr. Banner. I suspect that Boss wants to make sure everything is alright in Young Peter's body, and that Loki's magic has not affected him in ways that I cannot detect."

Peter started whining as soon as FRIDAY had stopped, fidgeting in Tony's arms and looking away from Bruce. Tony craned his neck in a rather awkward position when trying to see Peter's face, frowning at the kid's scrunched up face. It was a second later before he was crying yet again, head firmly placed back in Tony's collarbone as he sobbed. Why he was crying this time, he had no idea, and he was left looking at Bruce with a blank expression.

"What's wrong? Did I do something?" Bruce panicked, shuffling back away from the two of them on the couch. "Did I scare him? Oh God, I scared him, didn't I? Maybe this was too much after this morn-"

"No." Tony replied, trying to get Peter's head back out of his shoulder. "Petey, what's wrong?"

Peter didn't answer, and just continued to cry. Pepper kept her hand on Tony's knee as he tried to figure out what was wrong, Bruce still looking panic stricken and Rhodey's soft smile fading. It felt like hours before Peter finally calmed down, peeking his head out from Tony's shoulder with shuddering breaths.

"Hi." Tony said, feeling greatly accomplished when Peter's lips twitched into a teary smile. His mood swings will never fail to amaze Tony. "So, what was the tears for, huh?"

Tony was very aware he had an audience, trying not to die under all the attention as he kept his eyes focussed on his kid. Usually, attention did nothing to faze him. But this was different. This was far, far different from a conference or an award show, or when talking for and in front of the Avengers and other important people. People, who were close to him, were watching him try to take care of a tiny and fragile child, which no one thought he would ever be able to do.

"Scared." Peter mumbled, smile fading and eyes becoming worried. "Don' wan' doc'er."

"You don't want Bruce to check you over?" Tony asked, not missing Bruce sag in relief in the corner of his eye. "Don't you want to make sure everything's okay in that tiny body of yours?"

"I fine." Peter replied, wiping his tears himself. "Don' need check up."

"Please, kid, it would really help me sleep at night. Especially after that little stunt you just pulled. You scared me to death, kid. I'm pretty sure you scared yourself as well." 

Peter shook his head, seeming to disregard everything Tony had just said. Tony wondered if Peter had already chosen to forget where he had just gone, on his own accord, and what he had just done. Tony, on the other hand, was still horrified that Peter had gotten down onto the floor by himself, without even waking Tony up, to try beat up someone who was both ten times his size and had super soldier serum running through his veins.

"Nuh-uh."

"Fine. Was last time too traumatising for you?" Tony couldn't really remember anything that could have traumatised his kid this much when Helen looked over him, deciding on not pressing the issue when Peter nodded his head. "Alright. How about you ask Bruce to play, then?"

Peter's eyes lit up with interest. How Tony had seen a teenager in there before baffled him, since there was merely a second of that Peter a few times a day now. Tony wondered to himself if Peter had let the headspace completely consume him, or if it had been exhausting to keep up with both or try to fight it. Or, after their stressful morning, he had finally let himself go. There were so many possibilities of what could be going through Peter's head right now, and it was even making Tony tired just thinking about it. He would have to ask when he gets back to normal.

Tony hadn't really been expecting the kid to ask Bruce to play, so he was surprised when Peter began sliding off of his lap. Tony resisted the urge to yank Peter back up into his arms, not wanting to let the boy out of his sight after he had disappeared for only a few minutes, which could have caused a lot more damage that Tony couldn't see yet. Instead of yanking his kid back, Tony assisted in getting him onto the floor, not being able to help the smile that made it's way on his face when Peter toddled over to Bruce, in just a diaper as he had been this whole time, the sight making his heart turn to mush. Pepper cooed quietly beside him.

Bruce, on the other hand, looked terrified of Peter who was shifting on his feet in front of him, fingers in his mouth. It was silent for a long time before Peter appeared to muster up the courage to ask Bruce to play with him, Tony leaning back on the couch as he watched the whole scene play out in front of him. 

"Mis'ah Bwuce?" Tony felt like cooing himself, scrunching his nose at the thought of himself doing that. "Will 'o pway wif Pe'er?"

"Uh-" Bruce stuttered, giving Tony a panicked look. Tony nodded once. "Sure, kid."

With that, Bruce was off the couch and holding Peter's hand, letting the kid drag him over to the toys which were still sprawled across the floor. Tony shared a look with Pepper, who now looked a little concerned, sighing before resting his head on her shoulder. Even if he had slept an okay-amount the previous night, he was still exhausted from his sketchy sleep schedule and recent events. Even if Peter had somehow convinced him into sleeping more without even trying, he knew it wasn't going to fix his sleep deprivation just yet. This morning's trauma was definitely not helping.

And right there, of course, he fell asleep.

He was awakened sometime later to the sound of laughter, not opening his eyes for a few seconds as he processed that he was now laying down. A blanket was pulled over his body, something in his arms, Tony furrowing his eyebrows in confusion as he felt the thing he had apparently been cuddling. He opened his eyes a few moments later, cringing back from the sunlight streaming through the window, taking a few minutes to get his eyes adjusted before he looked around the room.

Bruce, Rhodey, Pepper and Peter were no longer in the room, and the toys seemed to be in even more of a mess throughout the living room. He could hear Peter's screeching laugh, the one that had probably woken him up, along with the adults. What they could possibly be doing was unknown to Tony, who was now looking down in his arms to see that Peter's Iron Man teddy was there, finding a fond smile on his face as he studied the plushie. 

He laid there for a few more minutes, before finally pushing himself up and running a hand through his hair. It took even more willpower for him to stand, keeping the stuffed toy in his hand as he followed the laughter into the kitchen. 

His kitchen was in even more of a mess than his living room.

There was flour, icing, and other things Tony couldn't determine all over the floor, counter, and people in the room. Pepper and Rhodey had their backs to him, the two of them standing on either side of Peter as he leant over the counter, still screeching with laughter. The sound didn't fail to make Tony feel happier as well, much better than the crying, blearily making his way over to them and rested his elbows on the flour-covered bench. Bruce was nowhere to be seen. "What's going on here?"

From what Tony could see, they had made cookies or something of the sort.

"Daddy!" Peter's eyes widened even wider, any previous tears nowhere to be seen. "We made 'ookies for 'o!" 

"Did you?" Tony asked, placing an exaggerated hand on his heart. "I'm honoured, kiddie."

"Daddy was sad, so we make 'ookies!" Tony raised his eyebrows at Pepper and Rhodey, who didn't say a word to him and continued encouraging Peter, who was (badly) applying icing to some of the cookies. "No' sleepy anymore?"

"I don't know." Tony laughed slightly, rubbing his face. "Why was this little guy with me, huh?"

Tony gestured to the toy he was still holding, appreciating the way Peter's eyes lit up with even more... love? Was that it?

"S'ay with 'ony. Help sleep." There was seriousness in Peter's words, and there was no Daddy this time. Tony tried not to react, squeezing the toy a little in his fingers, looking down at it with a soft smile. The colours were kind of off, and the eye slits in the helmet looked a little weird, but overall it was a decent toy. Tony had seen much worse adaptions to his armour that he didn't even want to talk about.

"Thanks bud."

Peter was left to icing the cookies for a little while longer until he was finished, Tony merely watching with a genuine smile. Peter was soon offering him one, and Tony wasn't going to lie, he was a little scared of trying it. But when it proved to be good, aside from the overdose of icing, he suspected that Pepper had actually done the cooking part. Said woman was smiling at him as Peter chattered away on his lap, a lot happier than he had been that morning.

"Where'd Brucie go?" Tony found himself asking mid-way through the cookie, barely catching Peter's in his free hand when it slipped through the kid's clumsy fingers. 

"He was a little nervous about, y'know. Green situation. After this morning, too, I think the whole thing just stressed him out." Rhodey cut in, the first time Tony had heard him speak since he had arrived.

"Right." Tony replied, tickling Peter's sides and relishing in the giggle his kid let out. 

They continued like that a little while longer until somehow, Peter got his little hands on the bag of flour while sitting in Tony's lap, and continued to lift up the almost-empty bag over his head and drench the two of them in white powder. Tony's clothes were covered, as was Peter's hair and skin, and that's where he found himself sitting in the bath once again in his boxers, Peter in the other side and Rhodey on the side this time.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing." Rhodey cackled as Tony cleaned Peter's hair, Tony glaring at him soon after. Tony didn't fail to notice that Rhodey had been steering clear of everything that had happened this morning, which he felt grateful for. He found himself never wanting to talk about it again. "I never thought I'd see you in the bath with your kid. Oh, Tones, this is great. I hope FRIDAY's taking pictures."

"I am, Colonel Rhodes." Tony glared up at the ceiling, since FRIDAY wasn't a person he could glare at, so glaring at the roof was the next best thing. "I have been taking and documenting pictures since Young Peter's condition, Boss. I would think you would appreciate it later."

"Traitor." Tony mumbled half-heartedly, because he knew for a fact that he was going to look at every single one she had taken with Peter when he was bigger. Whether he remembered or not, they were looking at those pictures together. "This is Peter's fault. He's the one who poured a bag of flour on us."

Peter giggled at him, then splashed him with water. 

"Stop that." Tony said one again, half-heartedly, grinning when Peter did it again. Tony hardly had a second to blink before Peter was splashing Rhodey, which a much larger amount than he had been splashing Tony with, Tony feeling himself grin like a cheshire cat when Rhodey looked at Peter with the most deadpan expression.

"Dude."

Peter giggled like a mad-man, or mad-child... mad-baby? He was giggling that hard he almost fell backwards into the water if it had not been for Tony catching his tiny wrist, Peter hardly noticing as he cackled at Rhodey's reaction. Tony, once again, felt the most carefree he had in ages, smiling genuinely as he watched Peter enjoy himself. Tony hoped the feeling of being calm wouldn't disappear when Peter was aged back up.

They continued like this for almost another whole hour, until there was a sudden burst of light throughout the room, making the three of them collectively jump. It was almost like a strobe light throughout the whole room, little bursts of pinks and blues added into the mix of white. There was something about this that was really, really familiar, but Tony couldn't place it.

Peter had come right over to him as soon as it had started, somehow getting into his lap and hid his face back in Tony's shoulder. The light was over within seconds, and everything was quiet and calm again.

"What the fuck was that?" Tony directed his question to Rhodey, who had a look of confusion on his face also. It was silent for a few seconds, the only sound being the bath water sloshing around whenever either Tony or Peter shifted. It was silent, right up until FRIDAY was speaking with a concerned tone in her animatronic voice. 

"Boss, I am terribly sorry to interrupt, but it appears that Thor has returned with Loki."

Fuck.

The Bifrost? Was that what it was? Thor had told him about that before. Hell, he'd seen it before.

"Holy shit." Tony mumbled, Peter tensing up as Tony clambered out of the bath with him in his arms. Rhodey handed him a towel, ending up drying Tony's body while Tony dried Peter's. It would have been a little weird in any other situation, his best friend drying him off from a bath, but there really wasn't any time to think about that right now. "Where are they?"

"Thor is requesting access to the Compound."

"No!" Tony snapped, shaking his head to emphasise. "No. Have them stay in their freaky spaceship until I get everything sorted!"

"Will do." 

"Woki back?" Peter whispered as Tony laid him on the changing table, grabbing the diaper and onsie that Rhodey handed him. Tony nodded without saying anything, quickly applying cream and taping the diaper up. He put the onsie on next, keeping Peter secure in his arms as he took him back into the living room. Pepper wasn't there, she had left a while ago to clear something up for SI, and it was really just him, Rhodey and Peter. Bruce still hadn't made an appearance. "Pe'er 'o big again?"

"Maybe." Tony whispered, sitting down with a soft grunt. "I'll have to talk to Loki first."

"No." Peter mumbled, shaking his head. Rhodey chose to walk into the room at that exact moment.

It must look pretty funny, Tony sitting on the couch in damp boxers with a toddler on his lap. But right now, he couldn't care less, carding his hands through Peter's still-wet hair as he looked out the window. It was getting dark outside, and there was no way Tony was going over there now to talk to them. Maybe, at midnight, when Peter was asleep, he would muster up the courage to go over there. Rhodey could look after his kid.

God. Thor had actually done it. He had brought his bastard brother back to Earth, and Peter may actually be able to get back into his normal self.

Holy. Shit.

He couldn't believe it.

Tony hadn't really realised up until now that he had begun to assume that Thor wouldn't be coming back, and that morning had only really cemented the thought. It hadn't really been that long, but he had begun to become used to the idea of being stuck with a baby Peter until he was capable again, and he was beginning to feel used to being a Dad.

Wow. He didn't think he had gotten that far into the ditch he had created, but here he was.

And he didn't think he would be this sad, but also slightly happy, about letting his toddler go and getting his Peter back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let me know what you think :)


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 more chapter to go wow this came up fast
> 
> posting a day early, what are the chances
> 
> if you squint i do some sneaky hints towards the sequel... see if you can point them out ;)
> 
> i still haven't written past chapter 5 of it, though, i have no literal inspiration

Tony didn't end up going to the ship at midnight he had originally planned.

He hid down in his lab the entire night, aimlessly tinkering away on some old armour as he thought about the endless possibilities of the next couple of days. Either Loki would disappear again, or even better, he would refuse to change Peter back. Which was a very likely option, and Tony didn't know how he felt about any of these two possibilities. There was one thing though.

There was no way he was taking Peter back inside of that ship. 

Tony was immensely relieved that just when he was getting ready to go out of the Compound and into said ship, Thor was outside the garage asking for permission to enter. He had already sent Peter off to Rhodey's floor with both Rhodey and Pepper, of course, with a lot of tears from the kid. Whatever this separation anxiety thing that had started was definitely going both ways, and once again, Tony had zero clue how to comprehend that.

Maybe it was better that the quicker Peter gets turned back into a teenager, the less damage was done to the both of them.

So, Tony the God in and up to his floor. Thor had given him another huge hug when they had seen each other again, Tony very confused as to when Thor had started appreciating him so much. Back during and after Ultron, they hadn't really been this... close? Tony hadn't gotten any hugs from any of the Avengers, so he hadn't really been fazed. Getting them from Bruce and Thor just felt strange to him now, but there was an underlying want. He would never say it, but he was craving other people's affection. 

"How is Young Peter?" Was the first thing Thor asked him, though there was a crease in his forehead as if he were trying not to let a frown show on his face. "I am very sorry that looking for my brother took such time. I tried my best, but Loki is not very cooperative. He moved around nine different planets, I am sure. I finally caught up to him back on Sakaar, it was exhausting getting out of there once again. I got a new hammer, by the way. Well, it's not a hammer. It's an axe. I can even summon the Bifrost!"

Tony blinked. "He's alright." Tony replied to Thor's first question, twiddling his thumbs. "Where's Loki right now?"

"Valkyrie is currently watching him. She is one of my most trusted and would let me know if he were to disappear again." Thor replied, Tony grumbling under his breath about Thor's use of the word 'again'. "I fondly remember when she told me she punched my brother in the face. I understand that he would have deserved it."

Thor was whipped for this girl, it was so painstakingly obvious.

"Is he willing to get Peter back to normal?" Tony asked, now staring nervously at Thor. 

"I have not asked him yet. We have not spoken much, though he seemed very reluctant to leave Sakaar. I fear he has become attached to that trash planet." Tony sighed, just rolling his eyes at Thor's choice of words about the planet. Tony was sure he did not want to go to this Sakaar place anytime soon, or like, ever. "I can bring him into the Compound, if you wish. I am sure you would like to talk to him."

Tony grumbled again, running a hand through his hair. "No. Not really, but I have to. We got Bruce back to Bruce, by the way. No more Hulk's."

"Really?" Thor asked, eyebrows raised. "I am surprised. I really did not think that Banner would return from the Hulk."

"Neither did I. Seems Natasha can still work wonders." Tony replied drily, fiddling with his sleeves. "Do you want to.. um.. fetch your brother?"

"Of course. I promise he will do no trickery here today." Tony nodded, disbelieving, though kept on nodding as if he believed his friend. He followed Thor into the lift, standing near the wall as the God began to pace, arms crossed as if there was something bothering him. Tony let him get away with it for a while, trying to distract himself, but soon the continuous pacing in the small space was getting on his nerves.

"What's up?" Tony asked, not hiding the hint of annoyance in his tone. Thor didn't seem bothered, pausing, and now staring at himself in the reflection of the elevator. Tony felt like he was intruding on an intimate moment when Thor touched his eyepatch, a saddened look on his face for just a few seconds. Tony looked away when Thor looked at him through the reflection, sighing deeply through his nose and held his left wrist.

"Nothing is... up." Thor replied, causing Tony to look back at the man. Tony was almost in awe of how Thor masked his emotions, a big grin now on his face as if he hadn't been looking depressed as ever a few moments ago. Is that what Tony looked like when he tried to mask over everything he was feeling? "Let's see my brother."

"Fun." Tony mumbled, stepping out of the lift when it hit the ground floor. Once again, they left through the garage secluded by the trees, Tony following behind Thor just as he had the first time he had come here with him. Tony didn't hesitate when they reached the ship, walking up onto the ramp and ignored all of the fear running through his veins as Thor set a hand on his upper back, just as he had the first time.

Thor would have been a good person to have around during the whole drama with Steve and the Accords.

"Once again, I truly am sorry for what my brother has caused." Thor spoke up as they got deeper into the ship, winding through all new corridors that Tony would have no hopes of remembering. He stuck close to his friend, Peter's small face floating through his mind as they moved through the alien aircraft, finally pausing outside of one of many closed doors. "He is in here with Valkyrie and Banner."

"Banner's here?" Tony exclaimed, not remembering FRIDAY telling him that Bruce had left the Compound.

"Yes." Thor replied, before leaning forwards to open the door. Tony's heart pounded against his ribcage when he spotted the long black-haired God sitting in the corner of the room, bound to the chair with various chains and ropes. His dark eyes snapped to Tony's immediately, a dark smirk forming on the alien's face. Thor's hand pressed a little harder on Tony's back, meant as a comforting gesture, Tony taking that as confidence and sauntered into the room like he wasn't terrified at all.

"Stark." Loki said smugly, tilting his head a little as Tony walked over to him. Tony was aware of Bruce and Valkyrie in the other corner of the room, Bruce watching with wide eyes and Valkyrie watching with curious ones. Tony felt a little horrified when Thor joined them, alerting him that he was truly alone. Knowing that this torture was for Peter's benefits, he masked that fear and turned to Loki with bored eyes. "Did you like my present for you?"

"Depends what you mean by present." Tony replied, searching the room for a chair. There was one to the side of the room, Tony walking over and grabbing it, placing it right in front of Loki. When it was a considerable distance away from the, to be brutally honest, terrifying alien, he sat down and crossed his arms, legs outstretched in front of him. "So, my dear nemesis, why the fuck would you think de-aging my intern was a good fucking idea?"

He had rushed the whole sentence out in one breath, heaving in shakily as he watched Loki's face contort as if he was about to laugh. This made Tony angrier, his fists clenching as he leant back further in his chair.

When Loki didn't say anything, it just made Tony even more enraged.

"Do you understand how much shit you've caused?" Tony almost yelled, not taking any pleasure out of the look on that fucking bastard's face. "You- you turned my k- intern into a toddler!"

"I did, yes." Loki finally spoke, tilting his head again, that smirk still on his face. "What you don't understand, Stark, is my reasoning."

"Since when does someone like you have a fucking reason?" Tony snapped, shaking his head in disbelief. Thor had materialised beside him at some point during their intense conversation, arms also crossed from what Tony could see in the corner of his eye. Loki just smiled, and to his complete and utter horror, it seemed semi-genuine. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I was on Earth long enough to see the bond that you have with that child." Tony gawked, eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "My trick was merely a mechanism for you to figure that out. And it worked, didn't it? My trick worked?"

"Excuse me?" Was Tony's reply, staring at the God in disbelief, momentarily forgetting where he was and who he was talking to. "You're tell me you were stalking us?"

"Oh, please. Humans are so petty." Loki rolled his eyes, shifting in his chains, repeating what Thor had said all those years ago. "Believe me, Stark, for once in my long life I was trying to help a puny human like you out. Was it really that horrid that you're willing to kill me over it?"

"Oh, I'm not willing to kill you over this." Tony replied, smiling dryly. "You're dead for New York, you bastard."

Loki smiled again, that weird half-genuine one that made Tony want to implode.

"Fair." Loki replied, then chuckled. "I see my plan worked, then. You're welcome, by the way."

Tony stared at him for a few moments, fists clenched and anger vibrating throughout his entire body. "Change him back."

Loki stared at him for a few minutes, as if he were trying to figure out if Tony was being serious or not. Then, he relented with the roll of his eyes, glancing at Thor for a few moments before they moved to Valkyrie and Bruce, who hadn't moved from their spot on the other side of the room. Tony had hardly registered that Bruce and Valkyrie seemed to be friends, shrugging it off as he stared dead at Loki, who surprisingly, had the look on his face that he was completely innocent in this situation.

"Do you really want me to do that?" Loki asked, still doing that annoying fucking head tilt. Everything about Loki just infuriated him, and he continuously made Tony want to scream at the top of his lungs until someone listened to him, and the way the bastard was talking didn't make things any better. "Are you really telling me that you want your child to go back to his big, and annoying, self?"

"Excuse me?" Tony snapped a second time, standing up and pointing his finger at the maggot sitting in front of him. "You don't talk about my kid like that."

"I thought he was your.. what do you humans call it? Intern?" 

"Fuck you." Tony spat, quite literally, at Loki's feet. Loki didn't seem fazed, merely staring at him with those annoying, inquisitive eyes. "Change him back."

"If that's what you really wish." Tony was fully ready to fight back, his hand raised to possibly slap Loki if he felt like it, but he was left gaping like a fish when his brain actually processed the information. It was as if his brain short-circuited, Tony standing there like a complete idiot in front of three Gods and a mutant. It took a few seconds for his brain to reboot, Loki smirking at him as if he had just won the lottery.

"Really?" Tony asked, squinting. Thor was silent beside him, not offering any expression when Tony turned to look at him. 

"If that is what you wish." This had to be another trick. Loki was never nice. "But are you sure you wish for him to go back to normal? I assure you, you will not have a bond like that with him ever again."

Tony found it terrible that he was second-guessing his choices, raising a hand to his mouth and chewed on his fingernails. This wasn't what he wanted, it was what Peter wanted. Tony should want this, he shouldn't be so selfish and become attached to the toddler version of him. Tony loved both, of course he did. He didn't get to pick and chose what happened in Peter's life. Jesus fuck, he wasn't even this kid's father, and he shouldn't even be thinking about having Peter grow up a second time.

"I want him back to normal." Tony snapped, pretending all those thoughts about not having a toddler around weren't running through his head. "It's what he wants and it's what I want."

"Very well." Loki replied, nodding his head once. "Bring him to me."

"Uh- no way. Not in here." Tony growled, taking a few steps back. "You'll come into the Compound."

Loki looked at him for a few moments, his gaze so scrutinising that Tony wanted to kick him in the head. The two of them had a silent staring contest, the room silent until Loki spoke up once again.

"Are you sure you want to do it so soon?" Loki asked, smirking. "I suspect you would want some more time with him before he leaves."

"Tomorrow." Tony replied, before turning around. "You'll do it tomorrow."

"Very well."

"Get me out of here." Tony gestured to Thor, before glancing at Bruce who was giving him a bit of a saddened look, which matched the way Tony's heart was crushing. He ignored it all, letting Thor guide him out of the room and out of the ship. It took a little while, feeling longer than it had getting in, and even longer to get back to the Compound. He said goodbye to Thor at the lift, who stated he was going to keep his eyes on Loki until the next day, and that he would alert Tony when they were at this very spot, since Asgardians did not own watches.

With a sigh, Tony stepped into the lift, smiling very slightly at Thor before the doors closed. He rubbed his tired eyes as FRIDAY took him up to Rhodey's floor, now knowing exactly how long he had left with Peter. He had a day left, not even. Less than twenty four hours at it's best.

It hadn't really hit him until now.

It was right then, he knew how much he was going to miss this pint sized Peter Parker, and how scared he was of the outcome. All those thoughts about Peter losing his teenage headspace, not remembering everything, or even not wanting to be around him was clear in his mind now, the possibilities so much realer now that it made him want to punch the lift's wall. As much as he wanted teen Peter back, he didn't want to lose the toddler one doing it. He also didn't want teen Peter to have side effects from this entire thing. Who knows what Loki's spells come with.

If Peter got side effects, Tony would never forgive himself. He wasn't even sure what those side effects could possibly be.

He didn't want to know.

His mind was a freeway of thoughts as the doors began to slide open, revealing Rhodey's personalised floor. He stepped in without announcing himself, already hearing the laughter from the living room. That high pitched squealing that had somehow wormed it's way into Tony's heart, much like other things that Peter had done while in his toddler headspace. Now that he was losing all that tomorrow, he had no idea what think of it.

He had been having these thoughts for a while, but knowing it was about to happen...

He saw Pepper first, in the kitchen. She was clearly making up coffee, grabbing a third cup when she noticed Tony entering the room.

While the coffee machine did it's job, Pepper turned to him with a gentle smile. "How did it go?"

"Loki said yes." Tony whispered, resting his head on Pepper's shoulder, exhausted. "Peter'll be changed back tomorrow."

"That's good." Pepper replied, though it sounded half-hearted. It was as if she didn't want to get rid of the toddler, either. "It'll be okay, Tony. You can talk about things with him when he's older again. Everything will be sorted out."

"Yeah." Tony mumbled, melting into her embrace for a few seconds before straightening up. "If he remembers it all."

"I'm sure he will." Pepper kissed his cheek, before continuing the work of making the three coffees. She looked back at him when he didn't move from the kitchen, jerking her head in the direction of the living room. "Go see him. I'll call May and arrange something so she can be here."

"Alright." Tony sighed, thumbing his left wrist for a few seconds before he made his way out of the kitchen, walking into the living room and felt his heart convulse painfully.

Peter and Rhodey were on the floor, playing with some cars that Tony had put in Peter's little backpack, the both of them making noises as they drove the cars across the mat that had been placed over the tiles. He stood there leaning on the doorframe, watching them play until Peter noticed him.

"Daddy!" Peter was up in a flash, racing over to him with his arms outstretched. Tony immediately picked him up, giving him one of the biggest hugs he had probably ever given him. It lead him to remember what he had said to Peter in the car, just after Germany, about them not being there yet. They definitely were now. Peter hugged him back, face buried in his shoulder. "Daddy sad?"

"No." Tony lied, carrying him over to the couch before sitting down. The position was so familiar and normal now that Tony was going to miss it dearly, trying to mask his feelings with false excitement as he tried to catch Peter's attention. "Guess what, Petey."

"Wha'?" Peter asked, fingers raising to his mouth as he bounced a little in Tony's lap.

"You'll be big again tomorrow." Tony smiled, brushing a curl out of Peter's face. "You'll finally be able to do everything by yourself again."

Tony winced when Peter cheered, the kid giggling happily as he moved to hold one of Tony's hands. Tony caught Rhodey's eye for a split second, not liking the look of sympathy there, turning away as he heard Pepper enter the room with their coffee. He could really do with one right now.

"You'll finally be able to go back to your Spider-Manning." Tony continued, smiling softly when Peter once again cheered. Tony was really hoping that the kid would get his powers back, because Tony had no idea what he'd do if he didn't. "That sounds like fun, doesn't it?"

Peter nodded, fingers still lodged in his mouth. "Yesh!"

"May will also be coming tomorrow, sweetie." Pepper spoke up, waving her phone in hand. "I'm just about to call her."

Peter just smiled, wrapping his arms back around Tony's neck and gave him a long hug. Tony sighed, closing his eyes, knowing he was going to miss the tiny body curled up in his arms at most times of the day. Even though he had hated taking care of Peter at first, he really couldn't care less anymore. The diaper changes were still a little... annoying, but they weren't nearly as bad as they had been in the beginning. It had become routine.

A routine he would have to get out of when Peter was gone, back in his apartment with May and everything returned to normal. Back to school, back to the Friday lab visits, back to not being around each other every day.

Jesus. Maybe he was the one with separation anxiety.

Pepper had left the room with her own coffee, undoubtedly going to call May, Tony just watching Peter who had the biggest smile on his face. Of course Tony was happy to be getting big Peter back, but as he had stated so many times before, he didn't really want to let the small one go. But that wasn't his decision, it was Peter's.

"Fri, what's the time?" Tony asked, rubbing Peter's tummy absentmindedly as the kid laid against him, fidgeting every now and then as if he wanted to get down but then didn't want to. Tony said nothing, listening to his AI's reply.

"It is ten thirty-eight in the morning, Boss." 

"Great. We have the whole day to ourselves, Petey." Tony said, ignoring the look Rhodey was giving him. Peter giggled and then shifted a little, nuzzling into Tony's neck. Tony couldn't help but close his eyes and heave in a large amount of air, holding it for a few seconds before letting it out. He never would have thought he would feel so torn up over this, and he had never felt like this in his entire life. Not even with Pepper. How could he be so selfish? "You'll be living with May again after everything is sorted."

Tony swore he heard Peter whine, but he wasn't sure because it was so quiet. He caught Rhodey's eye when the man rose off of his seat, walking over to them before sitting down ride beside Tony. He couldn't help but lean into his best friend's hold when an arm was wrapped around his shoulders, resting his head on Rhodey's shoulder as he absently stared at the blank screen of the TV, chewing desperately on his lip.

That was when Peter sat up more in his lap, staring at Tony with furrowed eyebrows and thumb in his mouth. Where his pacifier had gone, Tony had no idea.

"What?" Tony asked, shifting his head a little to peer down at his kid.

"'addy sad." Peter mumbled around his thumb, reaching out to poke at Tony's cheek. "'hy?"

"I'm not sad." Tony repeated, gently pulling Peter's hand away. "Why would I be sad?"

Peter didn't answer, shrugging his small shoulders a little as his big eyes began searching around the room. Tony took his eyes off of his son, once again staring aimlessly at the TV as the three of them sat in complete silence. It wasn't long before Pepper was returning to the room, the smile from her face falling when she saw the three of them on the couch, sitting down on Tony's other side.

His coffee sat forgotten on the table, trying not to show emotion on his face as he sat upright, letting Peter rush off to his toys. He didn't look at Pepper or Rhodey, just watched his child as he began making up some story with a few bears, glancing over at Tony every few seconds like he had been doing since they arrived back in New York. Tony smiled every time, leaning back on the couch with his arms crossed against his chest, ignoring his pounding heart.

It was a few hours later when Peter came back to him, demanding to be picked up. Tony did as he was ordered, placing Peter on his lap while asking him what was wrong. "What's up?"

"Swim?" Peter asked as he began tugging at his diaper at the same time, the tell-sign of a change that had been there since the beginning of all of this. Tony stood up as Peter talked to him, patting his padded backside with what he hoped was comfort as he made his way to Peter's room. "We 'o swim be'ore Pe'er goes big?"

By the way Peter spoke these days, Tony could not imagine having any form of big Peter back. He had become so used to his strange baby talk and incomplete sentences that it hardly bothered him anymore, and he knew it was going to be strange going back to Peter's normal, really fast without-a-breath rants every Friday.

God, once a week. So long between visits.

"Of course we can." Tony said as he entered Peter's room, heading right into the bathroom. "It's your last day pint-sized. We can do whatever you want."

"Cuddle." Was whispered next, and Tony couldn't help but kiss Peter's temple fondly.

"Course we can."

Peter was smiling when Tony laid him down, Tony grabbing all the supplies before un-doing the onsie Peter was wearing, discarding it in the pile of Peter's clothes that Tony hadn't gotten someone to wash yet. He quickly changed the kid, into a swimming diaper instead of a normal one, and then gathered Peter in his arms before taking him into the bedroom.

Getting the Spider-Man rash top on Peter was easy, and Tony let him run out into the living room while he packed a small bag with all the necessities. Jesus, he had turned into a mother hen, hadn't he?

He was done within minutes, walking into the living room to the sight of Peter sitting on Pepper's lap, talking it what seemed like another language.

"Come on, squirt." Tony said after a few minutes was watching, Peter shooting off Pepper's lap as if he had been electrocuted as he bolted over to Tony, his little hand sliding into Tony's bigger one. "Why doesn't Rhodey and Pepper come to?"

"Nuh-uh." Tony was a little surprised by Peter's answer, looking down at the kid. "Only Daddy."

"Only me?" Tony asked, a little confused. "Not even Happy?"

"Nuh-uh." Peter shook his head before raising his arms. Tony picked him up, setting him on his hip without even thinking about it.

"Alrighty. See you guys later." Tony said to Pepper and Rhodey, who still had those stupid, sad smiles on their faces. He felt himself grin when Peter waved goodbye in the cute way toddlers did, leaving the room without another word.

Deciding on just taking the car Happy usually drove, which already had the car seat in it, they were out of the Compound within minutes. Peter was quiet the entire drive to Tony's private pool (yes, he owned a pool), which was on the outskirts of New York. He had bought it when they were living inside of the Tower, though he had never gone to it. He didn't even know what it looked like. The only thing he had done with it was install FRIDAY, so she monitored all the systems and who entered, and then never came here.

Truth be told, he had bought it in hopes of hanging out with his friends, the Rogues of course, there. He never ended up mentioning it to them, and therefore, everything went to hell beforehand.

It was stupid, Tony buying a fucking swimming pool because he was lonely. But now he had an actual use for it, so why not? 

He managed to get inside without people seeing him, nodding his head silently at the huge building. Dumping his and Peter's stuff on one of the chairs, he wasted no time in heading over to the huge pool.

Peter was bouncing excitedly in his arms, Tony keeping a firm hold on him as he reached the stairs. The water was warm, and in no time, he was in chest-deep with Peter wrapped up in his arms.

The kid seemed to be having the time of his life, flailing his arms and kicking his legs as if he had never been in a pool before. Tony eventually ended up playing with him, and then came the terrifying moment when Peter somehow managed to slip from Tony's grip and went under.

Tony had him up and out of the water within seconds, hugging the boy to his chest. The situation was way too similar to what had happened at the beach, and of course, it didn't take long for Peter to start crying from the stress of it all. 

Tony took him out of the pool after that for a break, drying the kid's face and hair off. "That was a bit stressful, wasn't it?"

Peter nodded a few times, sucking on his fingers. 

It didn't take long for the kid to recover, and soon, they were back in the water, acting like nothing had ever happened.

Tony wished he could feel this relaxed all the time.

He felt himself feeling sad all over again on their drive home, hardly realising that their time at the pool had taken up the other half of their day, and in just a few hours, Loki would most likely be inside the Compound ready to change Peter back. It was as if Tony's heart had never stopped abusing his ribcage because of these thoughts that had been coursing through his brain since his little chat with the God, and he had no idea what the process was going to look like or what was going to happen.

They reached the Compound with no dramas, Tony giving Peter a longer bath than usual, until the kid's eyes began to droop noticeably. He had him changed into pyjamas and a diaper in record time, and before he knew it, he was in Peter's bed, said child on his chest. 

Peter was already fast asleep, pacifier bobbing every few seconds, Iron Man plushie secured in his arm. Tony couldn't help but stare at the roof, wondering how different things were going to be after Loki reversed his spell. 

Tony felt horrible for not wanting Loki to reverse it at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my own fic is making me sad. i've become so used to writing baby peter! 
> 
> \+ i love tony and thor 
> 
> let me know what you thought :)


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have nothing to say... but read end notes!

Their morning was moving slow. Slower than Tony would have liked.

Everyone was here. May, Pepper, Rhodey, Happy, and Peter. They were all crammed into the communal floor of the Compound, Tony sitting in his usual place on the couch in the living room while Peter played with some toys, the miniaturised Spider-Suit sitting next to Tony on the couch. He couldn't help sneaking glances at the suit, trying to remember how big it had been before this had all happened. He was horrified to know that he had forgotten how tall Peter was, what his teenage features looked like, the sound of his voice.

He knew he could simply go into some old files and listen to Peter's voice or get his height, but he found himself not wanting to. He was so used to having this toddler around it was terrifying him. He was so scared of what might happen when Loki gets him back into his teenage form that it was consuming him, occupying every thought that went through his brain. 

It was eight in the morning, and no one knew when Thor and Loki would be arriving. Tony suspected that Bruce might be coming with them, but he was unsure about that. When Tony had seen him the day prior, inside of that disgusting ship, he had a feeling that Bruce had found a new team, and new friends. 

Tony sighed, burying his face in his hands with a disgruntled sigh. Having that mini Spider-Man suit next to him was getting on his nerves, trying to look away from it as he watched Peter play with his toys, carefree, seemingly unaware of the mental struggle that was going on inside of Tony's head. Which was a good thing, Tony didn't want the kid to know any of his feelings and thoughts about this whole ordeal. Tony would keep his mouth shut as long as it kept his kid happy. 

Rhodey was sat on his other side, hand never leaving his knee. Pepper was in the kitchen, making coffee with May, and Happy was sitting on the armchair closest to Peter. Tony couldn't help but remember the Avengers, and all the times they had spent in this room. He could hardly believe that there was a toddler in here now, let alone one that was meant to be a teenager. If Tony had been told by someone that this would have happened after he recruited Spider-Man for the fight in Germany, that Tony would have laughed in your face and called you insane. Karma would have hit him two years later.

"You're stressing yourself out." Rhodey whispered in his ear sometime during this thought process, Tony snapping out of it as he looked to his friend. "Everything's going to be completely fine, Tones. You need to chill out."

"How can you tell me to chill out when this is Loki, the one who had almost destroyed New York mind you, is going to be getting close to my kid?" Tony whisper-yelled, thankfully not catching Peter's attention. "What if he doesn't remember anything? What if he's stuck like this in his teenage body?"

"Shh." Rhodey snapped, light-heartedly slapping Tony's wrist. "Calm down. I'm not fond of the guy either, but this is the only chance you and Pete have at getting him back to normal. Everything's going to be fine."

"You don't know that." Tony replied, slumping back against the couch cushions with his arms crossed over his chest. "There's so much wrong that can go on here, especially with that dipshit involved."

"I know." Rhodey relented, patting his knee a few times. "We'll cross that bridge if it comes to that, alright? Now, spend some time with your miniature kid, because you don't have that much longer left and I know you're going to miss him. So, shoo."

"I'm fine." Tony snapped, not moving from the couch. "This isn't about me. You know that."

"Yeah, I do." Rhodey was now snapping, rolling his eyes as if he were done with this entire conversation. He and Rhodey had been there so many times it went off his fingers, Tony thanking the Gods above that his friend wasn't being all sympathetic and lovey-dovey. Tony did need him to make him feel even worse about this situation. "He won't stop loving you, Tony, even if he doesn't remember all of this. Get that into your thick skull."

"Shut up." Tony grumbled, though a smile did quirk at his lips. He assumed Rhodey saw it, because he was elbowed in the ribs a second later. "Ow, what was that for?"

"You know it's true." 

Tony didn't get any time to reply, because Pepper and May walked into the room with five coffees, a bottle of apple juice and a plate of biscuits. Where they whipped all of this out from, Tony had no idea, because he never spent any time on this floor anymore. He shrugged his shoulders at the thought as he took his coffee from Pepper, moving Peter's suit into his lap as his fiancé sat down beside him. 

They said nothing to each other, simply holding hands as Peter came wandering over to him, bottle in hand which was given to him by May. May was sitting near Happy, the two of them engaged in what seemed to be a deep conversation already, and Peter wore a disgusted look on his face. Tony quirked an eyebrow at the kid, who raised one arm up at him in return.

"What's that look for?" Tony asked when he dumped his kid on his lap, poking his cheek. Peter said nothing and shoved the rubber nipple of the bottle in his mouth, head looking back at May and Happy who were now smiling dopily at each other. Tony found himself gaping a little. "Oh. That's gross, isn't it, Petey?"

Yeah, Tony knew that there had to be something between May and Happy, but he hadn't really seen them interact enough to know for sure. But by the sickeningly sweet looks on their faces, it was obvious that there was some sort of feelings there.

Wow. His kid was turning back into a teenager by a homicidal God of Mischief who almost destroyed the city of New York in just a few hours, and Tony was thinking about this new romance being presented right in front of him. Out of all the times he could be wondering about this, was when one of the most terrifying things in his life was about to happen. Crazy.

Though, it was providing as a good distraction from all the other harrowing thoughts in his mind, rubbing Peter's back when the kid choked on his apple juice, some of it spilling out of his mouth and onto both his and Tony's clothes. Tony went on staring at May and Happy as if nothing happened, Peter spitting up on him being one of the least disgusting things that could have happened over the last... how long had it been?

"Daddy?" Tony looked to Peter, who was staring right at him with huge eyes. 

"Yes?" Tony asked, knowing that Pepper and Rhodey were watching him. 

"When Woki ge'ing here?" Peter asked, his little hands dropping the bottle to fiddle with his Spider-Suit, which he was sitting on. "Miss Spida-Man."

"I know you do." Tony replied, ignoring the tug at his heart. "They'll be here soon."

"'ony sad." Peter mumbled, and to Tony's horror, Peter's eyes started welling up. "Why sad?"

"I'm not sad." Tony replied, ignoring Pepper's hand in his when Peter had started talking and ignoring Peter saying his first name. "Why does everyone think I'm sad? I'm not."

"Don' wike Woki?" Peter asked, one arm wrapping around Tony's neck. "Af'er 'he wormhole?"

Tony cringed. 

"Sowwy."

"No. Don't be sorry." Tony said hastily when Peter started hugging him, ignoring the tears beginning to rush to his eyes. Not because of Peter mentioning the wormhole, because Peter was noticing that he was... sad? Or, it was because he would lose this innocent form of Peter in just a few hours, minutes, he had zero clue. "I'm not sad. Just nervous."

"Pe'er scared." Peter whispered in his ear, making Tony's eyes burn even more. "Wan' o' be big.. bu' scared of Woki."

"Everything's gonna be fine." Tony mumbled, repeating the words Rhodey had said to him not long ago. He was aware that the two people beside him were probably analysing him as he tried not to cry, chewing on his lip and looking up at the roof. "He won't hurt you."

"I wike being small some'imes." Peter said next, making Tony's heart pound. He was sure the kid could feel it, too. "Bu' I miss Spida-Man and 'alking normal."

"I know." Tony replied, hating the way his voice shook. Peter must have noticed, because before Tony could even blink the tears away the kid was staring at him, complete horror on his little face. Peter's eyes were teary, too, and Tony hated it. He always had, even when he was a teenager. "I know, kid."

"Don' cry." Peter seemed panicked. "No."

"I'm not crying." Tony replied, laughing wetly. "I said I'm fine."

He was very well aware of Pepper squeezing his hand, Rhodey squeezing his knee, and Peter wiping at his left eye when a tear managed to slip through his poorly made facade. Tony looked away from Peter's hurt expression, inhaling sharply and then exhaling shakily. God, why the fuck was he crying? Why was he being so angsty? He knew (hoped) everything was going to be fine. It had to be.

Peter was hugging him within seconds, Tony knowing for a fact that it wasn't the toddler with him this time, Tony squeezing him back and closed his eyes. He needed to get himself together. This was not who he was.

Someone was petting his hair, but he had no idea who it was. He was suddenly so overwhelmed with the attention he was getting from the five people in the room, immediately wanting to go hide down in his lab where no one could see him having a meltdown. Clint Barton would pay away all of his money to see this day, and Tony knew that. The man had said it to him himself, back after New York. He had told Tony, in a joking way, that he would pay all his savings if he saw Tony cry.

It took him a few moments too long to compose himself, discreetly wiping at his eyes before straightening up, plastering a very fake smile on his face when Peter caught his eye. "Wow. Usually you're the angsty one, kiddie."

"Nuh-uh." Peter grinned wobbly at him, both hands on Tony's cheeks, his tiny thumbs wiping at the tear tracks he was sure the tears left behind. "Pway?"

"Yeah. Come on." Tony put Peter down, handing the suit to Pepper before plonking himself on the floor by Peter's toys. Peter was there in a flash, handing him some Avengers dolls. He was handed the Hulk and Iron Man, while Peter took War Machine. Tony didn't miss Peter tossing (hurling) the Black Widow, Captain America and Hawkeye dolls back into the box with a deep scorn on his face.

They played for a long time, Rhodey and May joining in at some point, Happy and Pepper talking quietly at the couches. It was around an hour and a half later when FRIDAY's voice echoed over the speakers, Tony's heart outright falling from his chest, through his ass and into the core of the Earth. He had Peter in his arms within seconds, resting his cheek on the side of his kid's head as he listened to FRIDAY talk.

"Boss, Thor would like me to let you know he is waiting in the garage. Would you like me to bring them up?"

"Uh-" Tony hesitated, shifting Peter slightly. Pepper was handing him the Spider-Man suit, Tony taking it silently before continuing to speak to FRIDAY. "Tell him to wait."

"Daddy." Peter whispered, his little hands latching onto the suit. "No Woki."

"I'm sorry." Tony whispered, already pulling the shirt over Peter's head. "You want to be big again, don't you?"

He had to make sure that this was what Peter wanted.

Peter nodded, fingers disappearing into his mouth. The kid looked dangerously close to crying again, and Tony felt himself relating. It was happening. It was literally happening. Loki was down in the garage waiting for them, waiting to change Peter back into his normal teenage self. Tony was fucking terrified of letting the man anywhere near Peter, brushing away his kid's tears when they eventually began falling. 

He took Peter's pants next, the kid now in just socks and a diaper. The socks came off moments later, Pepper offering her help in getting Peter into the suit. Since the suit had shrunk down with Peter, it was useless. Tony knew he would go above and beyond to make a new one, but he had a strange feeling that Peter would feel horrible about it. So, hopefully, the suit would get bigger as Peter's body got bigger.

Peter was hanging onto the diaper when Tony went to take it off, Tony quirking an eyebrow in confusion. Peter's lip was shaking.

"We gotta take this off you if you want to get into your suit." Tony reasoned, somehow managing to keep his voice soft, but still shaking slightly. "I don't think you want to be in your big body with a diaper on, do you?"

Peter shook his head, slowly letting go of the white fabric before shoving his fingers back in his mouth, more tears falling as Tony stripped him right there in the living room, Pepper lifting peter up by the armpits as Tony got the leg holes ready. Everything was moving so fast, anxiety creeping up on him like a disease as he got Peter's legs into the suit, Pepper doing one arm and Tony doing the other. Once it was up around his kid's shoulders, he pressed the spider symbol and immediately, the suit became snug around Peter's tiny body.

Peter took off a second later, Tony sitting there with his arms out in shock for a few moments, before he recovered and put them down. He had no time to be sad about Peter's departure because the kid was back in a flash, Iron Man plushie in hand and pacifier in mouth. He immediately went in for a hug, whimpering into Tony's neck as he picked him up.

"Scar'd Daddy." Peter was repeating over and over, making Tony's heart ache.

"Fri, let them up."

"Of course."

Rhodey took off for the lift, Tony sitting down on the couch between May and Happy, who were giving him equally sad looks. May reached forwards to run her hand through Peter's hair with one hand, rubbing his back with the other. Pepper sat down on the armchair, looking nervous and devastated at the same time, sending a small but comforting smile to Tony. Tony didn't smile back, resting his chin on Peter's small shoulder and closed his eyes.

It wasn't long before he heard the lift ding, his heart jumping in his chest when he heard Thor's booming voice. He didn't understand what the God had said, but it was enough confirmation to let Tony know that they were, in fact, here. On the communal floor. Loki. Here.

He composed himself, taking a deep breath before turning around to face Thor and Loki, who were being led into the room by Rhodey. Thankfully, Loki was still inside of his chains, glaring menacingly at the group of them. He heard May gasp and he heard Peter whimper, Tony's hold tightening on his child as he looked at Loki in the eyes.

Tony swore he saw a flicker of softness in Loki's eyes when they landed on Peter.

"Alright, Stark. You wished for me to turn your child back to his normal form." Loki spoke up, sounding bored. Tony's eyes widened slightly when Bruce stepped out from behind Thor, standing beside him. So he had come. "I can't do it with you coddling the child. You then would be at risk of getting included in the spell."

As if Loki cared whether or not Tony was damaged from the spell. 

"Come on Petey." Tony whispered, ignoring Loki's comment as he tried not to let his voice shake. "You gotta let go of me, bud."

"Noo!" Peter suddenly wailed, fists clenching onto Tony's shirt when he was moved even just a little. Tony didn't stop, closing his eyes for a few seconds in anguish as Peter started wailing, kicking, grabbing and trying literally everything to keep his hold on Tony. "No, Daddy!"

Tony's heart catapulted in his chest, finding himself ignoring Peter's pleas as he stood up. He carried Peter around the couch until they were right in front of Loki, the God watching on with a blank expression. His stomach churned painfully at the sight of his baby so close to the sinister alien, inhaling short breaths as he knelt down, placing Peter on his suit-clad feet. There was something so wrong about seeing a child in the Spider-Man suit again that Tony could not figure out. "Everything's going to be alright, Peter. It's going to be fine. You just gotta let go of me for a bit."

"I cannot assume that everything will go back to normal." Loki suddenly spoke, just as Tony let go of Peter. "There will most likely be side affects."

"What?" Tony growled, Peter seeming to panic yet again and let out a high-pitched cry. Tony couldn't imagine how May was feeling, watching all of this go on, though he did not look back to find his answer. Tony couldn't even remember if he had told her Loki was the one who had de-aged his nephew, but that was the least of his worries right now. "What do you mean, side affects?"

"I don't know. This spell is complicated." Loki snapped, looking as though he were growing impatient. "Do you want me to reverse the spell or not, human?"

If the spell was oh so complicated, why had the bastard bothered in the first place? Did he really just want to make Tony's life a living hell?

"We do." Tony whispered, letting go of Peter completely and backed away, his rear meeting with the back of the couch. He refused to acknowledge the tears burning at his eyes once again as he watched Peter's little face crumple up even more, his chubby arms reaching up for Tony which was most likely the last time he was going to do that. The kid began sobbing even louder and tried running after him a few seconds later, but was stopped short. 

His heart stopped when Peter seemed to be pushed back by some invisible force, panic chasing his heart in circles when Peter's face began to sag and his eyes began to close. Once again, there was something so wrong about seeing a child's face slack like that, as if he had been drugged. What was even worse, was that this was alien magic they were talking about. "What are you- what are you doing?"

Loki didn't answer him, Thor looking mournful as Tony watched on with horror. He didn't dare look back at Happy, May and Rhodey, crossing his arms so tight over his chest that he was convinced he was trying to hug himself.

Tony watched as Peter's skin began to glow the same way it did when Strange came over, the colour increasing in colour as it covered over Peter's head, then chest, arms, legs. Peter's eyes were closed, face unresponsive and covered in tears, slowly being taken over by that bright green colour. The pacifier slipped from his mouth as the colour got brighter and brighter, Tony sparing a glance at Loki, who had his eyes closed with a frown on his face. Tony was glad the man was in chains.

Soon enough, Peter's small body was disappearing into the substance, Tony feeling panic spark up in his chest when he could no longer see his kid. Gradually, the green glow got bigger, and bigger, and bigger. It got even bigger before it seemed to die down, Tony's eyes hurting from how bright it was. 

Tony's jaw dropped to the floor when he was finally able to stop squinting, seeing the much larger body laying on the floor, still half-encased in Loki's spell. Peter's face soon became recognisable, tears and snot still on his face, eyes still closed. Older. He was older. The more he looked at Peter, the more mature his face became, and he realised with a jolt that he was literally watching Peter age up, right in front of him. 

His face had been softer, until it began to change. His skin changed, it became a little darker, and he was soon morphed into the Peter Tony had known before all of this happened. The boy he had recruited for Germany. It was as if he had never been so small, Tony hit with a surge of familiarity from looking at his kid's face. The toddler in Peter was gone.

The green glow finally died down completely, and soon Tony's legs were sending him right over to his kid, who was still laying motionless on the floor. He had been right, the suit got bigger with him, but he wasn't moving. He wasn't fucking moving, and that was the most terrifying part. He had no idea what could be going on inside of Peter's body, how his organs were coping from being enlarged, how his brain was coping. Oh, Jesus. His brain.

"Peter?" Tony exclaimed, ignoring now jarring it felt to see how big Peter was now. After being so used to having such a small human around, he was not used to seeing such an older version of Peter's face. Though it was familiar, it was still hard to decipher that this was the boy he had spent the last lot of weeks with. "Peter? Petey, kiddie, wake up. Come on, you're fine. We're fine."

When Peter didn't wake up, tears were pouring down his face as he looked to Loki, who had the decency to look like he felt bad. "What the fuck did you do? You fucking bastard!"

His voice cracked, his body jumping when May fell down beside him, cupping Peter's face within seconds. She was muttering things that Tony couldn't understand, tears slipping out from behind her glasses, her face so filled with anguish that it made Tony want to hurl himself off the top storey of the Compound. This was his fault.

"I did not do anything." Loki replied, looking uncomfortable under Thor's intimidating stare. Bruce was also clambering down beside Peter, checking for a pulse, breathing, and Tony just could not stomach to watch all of this happen. He focused on sending shaky glares to Loki, who was now beginning to look troubled. "I reversed the spell, as you asked. I was not aware this was going to happen."

"What the fuck?" Tony screamed to no one in particular, brushing his hand through teenage Peter's unruly hair as the boy didn't move. May hadn't said a word, and neither had Bruce. "Come on, Peter, wake up. Please."

It felt like hours before Peter's eyes twitched beneath his eyelids, Tony sagging in so much relief it caused him to let out a dry sob. He was so overwhelmed that it was consuming him, cradling Peter's head in his lap as the boy began to shift. He was alive. Peter was alive.

Tony could have passed out when his kid's eyes opened so very slowly, his brown eyes staring right into his for a few moments, sleepy confusion on his face. Those eyes were so alike to the toddler's ones he had become used to, scrunching his own tight for a few seconds before opening them again. A stream of tears left them when they were opened.

"Dad?"

Tony choked. He literally choked. "H-hey, Pete."

He did not expect Peter's face to scrunch up the way it did, the kid immediately shifting so he was in a better position to hug Tony, his arms wrapped around his neck and face buried in his shoulder, much like he had when he was a toddler. Oh, God. It had happened. Peter was a teenager again, and Tony had no idea if the kid could remember everything that had happened over the last few weeks. He was already mirroring what he had done as a toddler.

Tony let the thought of Peter being stuck in a toddler headspace float through his mind, but he pushed it away immediately. He had no idea if that was the case as of yet.

He wasn't sure if he wanted to find out.

Peter soon pulled away and turned to May, the two of them seeming to have a wordless conversation before they embraced, Tony awkwardly sitting there wiping his eyes, slowly beginning to calm. Bruce had somehow gotten a hold of his hand, his friend sending him a sad but hopeful smile in Tony's direction. If Bruce was smiling, there had to be nothing wrong with Peter.

Even if he hadn't had a proper evaluation yet. 

He couldn't believe what had just happened.

Loki and Thor were no longer inside of the room, as if they had left sometime during Peter's awakening. Tony had no idea when they could have left, but he found himself not caring as Peter turned back to him, wiping his face also. "T-thanks, Mr. Stark."

Back to Mr. Stark.

Tony couldn't explain how much it hurt to be called Mr. Stark again after all of this time, though he ignored that thought.

Tony just brought him forwards into another hug, sighing shakily as they hugged for a long, long time. 

"I remember everything." Peter whispered, his deeper voice also jarring to Tony. "T-thank you for looking after me."

"You don't need to thank me." Tony mumbled, not believing this was actually happening. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat."

They sat in silence for a little while longer until Bruce announced that he should go medical to get checked over. Everyone in the room seemed to agree, and soon Bruce, Peter, Tony and May were on their way to the medical floor. Tony pretended not to notice when Peter stumbled when standing up for the first time, wordlessly placing both hands on Peter's biceps to keep him steady. The boy was looking around with huge eyes, shaking on his feet as they began to move, looking all around him as if he had never seen the room before.

Tony wished he knew what was going on inside of Peter's head, but he never gained enough courage to ask. Everything about this situation was out of the ordinary, including his behaviour. Both his and Peter's behaviour was out of the ordinary, and he was sure everyone in the room knew it.

It wasn't long before Peter was laid in a hospital bed, suit pulled down to the waist, FRIDAY having told Tony that Pepper was off getting new clothes for Peter. May and Tony sat on either side of their kid, both holding one of his hands, Peter himself staring up at the roof with a blank expression. Bruce was checking him over, taking his blood, testing his senses.

Bruce had thrown a small ball, where he had gotten it from Tony didn't know, right at Peter's head without any warning. Tony was crushed with so much relief when Peter yanked his hand from his to catch the small object before it hit him in the face, when he hadn't even been looking in the first place. Tony could have sobbed again when it was proved Peter still had all his senses, and that he would definitely be able to go on with his Spider-Man duties. Queens still had their Spider-Man.

When it was deemed that Peter was okay, he was given the all-good to head back with May to their apartment. Tony watched on quietly as Peter shuffled back into the communal floor's living room, looking around the room for a few moments before bending down to pick something up. Tony could have screamed from the rooftops when he saw that Peter was holding the Iron Man plushie, the boy sending him a small smile as they headed back to Tony's floor.

Peter hadn't really said much since he was aged back up, and Tony found himself feeling grateful. He had no idea what he, himself, would say.

Walking through Tony's floor was the most confronting experiences. Tony watched Peter's face the entire time as he looked around the room, saying nothing when Peter picked up another toy and held it in his arms. 

When it was time for Peter to go, Tony couldn't help but grab onto his kid's wrist before he could get too far. "Pete?"

Peter turned around, May and Happy getting into the car behind him, his face conveying nothing of what he was feeling. "Yeah?"

"You'll be coming back on Friday, yeah?" Tony mumbled, trying not to show how much sadness he was feeling watching Peter go. "We can finally go back into the lab."

Peter smiled. His voice shook. "Yeah, sure, Mr. Stark!"

"Good, good.." It felt awkward. "Well, guess it's time for you to go."

Peter lunged at him, wrapping him up in a hug before Tony could even protest. Tony found himself hugging back, resting his head on Peter's shoulder, images of the baby he had been looking after for so long filtering through his mind. He was gone.

"Thank you, Tony." Peter mumbled, Tony freezing when Peter used his first name. "Even if that was the most embarrassing experience of my life, thank you for sticking with me."

"I said you don't need to thank me." Tony replied, his voice shaking now. They pulled away from each other, Tony kissing Peter's forehead without saying a word about it. Peter didn't say anything, even leaning into it, before he was leaving. "See you on Friday, kiddie."

"Bye, Dad."

Tony felt lost watching Peter leave.

When he arrived back at his floor, he couldn't help but go into Peter's room for when he was a toddler, which already felt like years ago.

He laid down in Peter's bed, staring up at the roof, ignoring Pepper when she came in and ran her hand through his hair, whispering sweet things into his ear to comfort him. She stuck with him for what felt like hours, until he managed to drift off into a fitful sleep.

He had so many things to deal with.

The alien spaceship in his front yard.

Where Loki would be going.

The Rogues.

And, of course, figuring out how to move on from here.

Figuring out how to move on from feeling like he had just lost his child.

Which, in a way, he had.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so, that's it! the end of this fic! the first fic i have actually ever finished, and i'm honestly so proud of myself. thank you everyone whose stuck since the beginning, and everyone who has commented, given kudos, and also the silent readers! 
> 
> i've loved reading all of your comments! i've been reading through all of the theories i have been getting about the sequel, and no one has gotten it yet! no one picked up my really, really, REALLY tiny hint in the last chapter, but i love hearing everyones theories! if you want, leave some more :)
> 
> also, would you like me to update a 26th chapter to let everyone know when the sequel is posted? (most likely in a day or two)
> 
> anyways, thanks everyone for reading, and hopefully i'll see you when the sequel is posted!


	26. SEQUEL

He unconsciously removed his hand from his thigh, and hugged the Iron Man plushie instead of raising it to his mouth, like he most likely would have done if he was still small. He clasped the plushie for the rest of the ride, now very conscious of where his hands were, keeping them occupied so his fingers didn't end up in his mouth a second time. Of course he remembered the pacifiers, and how comforting they felt. How could he forget?

He wished he could forget the comfort that the soothers, among everything else, had brought him.

Or, in which, Peter is suffering the many side effects from Loki's spell, all the while dealing with the many new memories he had gained, and maybe even longed to have again.

\- - - 

SEQUEL IS UP!


End file.
